Paper Mario: Legend of the Clouds
by Frederic Marile
Summary: An evil force has destroyed the land of the clouds. Can Mario save the rest of the world from being thrown into the darkness too? Can he save Princess Peach after she suddenly disappears? Or will she-and possibly the rest of the universe-be destroyed?
1. Intro: Part I

_It was a rather normal day in Plathora, where clouds were born. The engineers were just receiving their next order._

"_We're getting too many requests for storm clouds, Connifer. If we have to make many more, we'll run out of rain."_

"_But Brad, they need storm clouds to grow their crops. There's no other way to get water these days. It's called living in a drought," replied the Clouder known as Connifer. She then proceeded to build a cloud with black puffs and watered it down with water vapor before sending it off into the sky._

"_You're pathetic, Connie." Brad rolled his eyes and walked back to the mailbox._

_"You're heartless, Brad," Connifer retorted. "And you know I hate it when you refer to me as Connie! My name's Connifer Jones." Then she held out her hand expectantly so Brad would give her the next request. He handed it to her and she tore open the envelope._

_"'To whomever it may concern:_

_Plathora, or as you may wish to call it, CloudLand, is under attack by who-knows-what. We understand it may not be your greatest pleasure to have such short notice, but we strongly recommend you evacuate Plathora as soon as possible to avoid the possibility of certain death. The most efficient method of performing this action is to throw yourself of the side of CloudLand in an orderly manner. We thank you for reading this letter and apologize again for the inconvenience.'" By the time she had finished reading, Connifer had whited beyond white. Brad took her hand to keep her from fainting and ran outside with her in tow._

_The letter had not been kidding; some force that Brad could not describe was destroying the entire floating city of Plathora. It was composed of complete darkness and was covering the town as he watched. He couldn't move for fear. This darkness seemed to be gobbling Plathora up like bread soaked up water. And in its trace, it left nothing. Nothing at all. When the force had almost reached him, Brad found strength in his legs and began running, carrying Connifer in his arms. And when the darkness was about ready to overtake him and leave nothingness in his place, he turned around to face it and took it like a soldier._

* * *

_"Daddy, we have to do something! Pretty soon we're going to cease to exist thanks to that…that thing!" cried a wide-eyed girl with a fancy pink dress._

_"Yeah, Daddy, we're going to all disappear! Shouldn't we try and stop it?" another girl in a white dress with a similar pattern to the pink one bawled._

_"We can't," their father replied. "There's no way." The two girls began to wail pitifully._

_"But Daddy! I don't want to die! I don't!" The first girl rubbed her eyes._

_"Troy, can't you do anything to save us? Anything?" pleaded the girls' mother._

_"Marrissa, there's nothing anyone can do. It's too late," Troy replied._

_And he was right; there was nothing to be done about the darkness as it reached up and swallowed Plathora whole._


	2. Intro: Part II

Luigi Mario sat at the loose, rickety table in the living room waiting for his hot chocolate to finish boiling. He had a bit of a headache; Mario had kept him up all night yakking in his sleep about his latest adventure. It got annoying every once in a while.

He went over to the clock in the living room and discovered it was 4:07 in the afternoon. _And Mario's still asleep_, Luigi thought. _Strange_.

As he began sipping his hot chocolate, he heard a voice from outside, a jolly tenor with a hint of a squeak. "Mail call!" it said.

Luigi knew the voice all too well. It was Parakarry, a paratroopa Mario had traveled with once. After yawning once, he stepped outside and headed for the mailbox. Reaching in, he found a pink embroidered envelope with 'Mario' written on the back in loopy cursive. Luigi smiled inwardly, knowing just by the envelope exactly who it was from and what it said.

Walking back to the house at a leisurely pace, Luigi contemplated the letter again. Would he be allowed to come with Mario this time? Or would he have to stay alone in their rutted out old house for two months while Mario had the new best adventure of his life?

He almost didn't stop when he reached the door, lost in his thoughts. "Mario!" he called when he got inside. "A letter from Princess Peach has arrived for you!"

His brother Mario came out presently from his bedroom. His overalls were rather in disarray, having been slept in last night. His tired eyes told Luigi he'd had nightmares about all the magical faraway places he'd been to before. It made Luigi sad to see the famous Super Mario in such a bad way.

He hated to do this, but he felt so sorry for Mario that he felt he should. "He bro! Sit down, you want some hot cocoa?" Mario looked up at the question.

"Yeah, sure Weege. Thanks, bro," he answered. "So what's this letter say?"

Luigi tore open the envelope and began reading:

"_Dear Mario,_

_I would like to cordially invite you to my birthday party tomorrow. It will be at the castle at seven o' clock P.M. I would be so happy if you could come._

_Please consider my offer, as I would love to see you there at my party. If you like, you can bring Luigi along. Please take this invite with you, or else the doormen won't let you in. See you there!_

_From,_

_Princess Peach_

Luigi threw a party inside his brain for being allowed to come along with Mario to the party. He didn't even hear Mario talking to him until he was shouting. Luigi snapped out of it and asked what Mario had said again.

"When is the party?" Mario repeated. Luigi read over the letter again. "Seven," he replied. He then looked at the clock and rubbed his eyes to make sure he seeing correctly. Was it really 5:00 already? "Huh," he said to himself, and then to Mario, "I'm gonna make dinner."

"You do that. Call me when it's ready."

"Okay."

As Luigi cooked a couple of Shroom Fries, he thought about all of the fun things about Peach birthday party. This would be great. There would be games and candy and cake…although if he knew Mario, the cake would be gone within ten minutes.

At five thirty, dinner was done, and he called Mario back out. "That looks good," Mario told him.

They ate their fries slowly and talked about the party. "So, how old will Peach be again?" Luigi asked.

"26," Mario answered with a hint of recital in his voice, as if people had asked him the question many time before. Luigi just nodded.

"You know, Weege, you're a great cook," Mario said at some point. Luigi thanked him quietly and put the half of his fry down. "Sorry Mario, I'm not that hungry. You can have this."

Mario looked sympathetically at him while he walked to the bedroom and retired. Not wanting to eat alone, he covered the fries with cling wrap and put in the fridge. He then followed Luigi to the blissful world of sleep and yakkity yaks.


	3. Intro: Part III

Hi this is Frederic Marile! I'm glad to present you with THE MAGICAL PART THREE! By the way, I hadn't known before that there wasn't stuff on the website that made disclaimers for you, so know that I do not own the characters from this part or the last. But I do own the characters from part 1. I don't own the Mario series though.

* * *

The next day, both the brothers slept in very late. At 4:14, Luigi got reluctantly up out of bed and started making eggs, bacon, and hash browns. Without thinking he started making a pot of hot chocolate too. When he had almost finished, Mario came out and sat down at the table. Luigi shortly brought the finished breakfast over and the brothers began eating.

"This is delicious, Luigi," Mario commented.

"Thanks," Luigi answered. "I can't wait for the party, can you?" Mario shook his head, his mouth full.

They sat there talking after they had eaten for about a half and hour. At five, Luigi announced that they should leave. Mario agreed.

So they walked outside and made their way down the dirt path in front of the house. It was a bit long, but soon they reached the pipe that led to Toad Town. First Mario jumped up on top of it and sank down. Then Luigi did the same.

Toad Town was even busier than it usually was. Mario and Luigi took a moment to admire the refined air that emanated from the town everytime they went there before starting off for the castle. It should have been a short trip, but the problem was you couldn't take two steps in Toad Town without someone jumping out of a store and asking you to buy something. The brothers ran to avoid these constant run-ins. Eventually they made their way to the royal castle in all of its regal royalty. Luigi just stood there in awe; Mario smiled at this ever-familiar place where he had saved Peach so many times before, but where he would now be celebrating her birthday. After that they walked up the steps to the door. The doorman asked for an invitation, and Mario searched his pockets. Strangely, he couldn't find the invite. "Luigi," he turned around and addressed his little big brother, "did I happen to give the invitation to you?"

Luigi looked inside all of the many pockets on his overalls but turned up nothing. "Wait here," he asked the doorman, who rolled his eyes. As if he was going anywhere.

Mario figured they must have dropped the invitation somewhere along the way to the castle. So he Luigi split up looking in different parts of town where they had had to walk to get to the castle. Searching in the bushes closest to the castle, Mario found only a few coins and a Honey Syrup. So he went into the previous part of town, where Merlon, the fortune teller, lived. He asked one of the Toads with a yellow-spotted mushroom if he'd seen a pink envelope. "Sorry, bud, I haven't seen nothing like that," he answered. Mario looked around and spotted a small pink rectangle in front of the post office. But upon running there, he saw a female Toad pick it up by a handle, revealing it was a sign saying, "Hot Dogs! 15 coins apiece!" Mario turned around and let his shoulders sag. He then walked to the last part of town the brothers had walked past, where Luigi was searching. When he reached the place, he saw Luigi in a rather embarrassing situation.

Luigi was pleading with a petite orange Goomba with a cute cerulean dress on. "Please give it to me!" he clasped his hands together.

"Why should I?" the Goomba laughed with a bit of a Boston accent. "I wanna read it first! Can't I read it first?"

"But it's really important that you give it to me! It's…special business from the princess!"

The Goomba cocked her head to one side. "Oh, is it? Well, then I guess I should let you have it." Luigi looked relieved until her next sentence. "But I won't." She then laughed again.

Mario stepped through the crowd that had grown around the two. "Excuse me, coming through, out of the way, I'm his brother," he said to the Toads and Koopas. Then he walked over to Luigi and the Goomba. "Listen, little girl," he started. But the Goomba cute him off.

"No, you listen, mister. I know exactly what this is. It's an invitation from Princess Peach, isn't it?" Mario nodded reluctantly.

"Then let me make a deal with you," she said serenely. "You let me come with you, and I give this letter back. Deal?"

Mario turned around to look at Luigi. "Well," Luigi thought about it. "Okay."

"The Goomba jumped for joy. "I'm going to the castle! Hee hee hee! By the way," she added, turning to Mario and Luigi, "my name is Goomessa."

And so the rather bold, assertive Goomessa followed the brothers to the castle for the party just in time. Mario just couldn't wait to see the party and Peach.

* * *

Hey, thanks for reading! I know this part left off kinda boring, but I didn't know what to write.

CLICK THE BUTTON! GREEN BUTTON! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!


	4. Intro: Part IV

Hi this is Frederic Marile! This is part four of my Paper Mario story. Remember: I don't own Mario or Paper Mario or any of the characters from the Mario series. I do, however, own my original characters. SO DON'T STEAL THEM! XD

* * *

"Wow, look at the walls! Wow, look at the chandelier! Wow, look at the people!" Goomessa couldn't get enough of the castle. Peach's party was to begin soon, and it was hard not to just stand and admire the decorations and frills that had been made to the castle for the party. Luigi just nodded and started talking to some other guests, becoming indistinguishable in a matter of seconds from the rest of the giant crowd. Goomessa looked back at Mario, a smirk on her face. "Well, I guess now that he's gone, you're stuck with me," she giggled. Mario sighed.

Just then, a Toad wearing a goofy red jacket three sizes too large and whose mushroom spots were an annoying orange tapped Mario on the shoulder. Mario jumped, but heaved another sigh-this time of relief-when he saw who it was. "Master Mario," the Toad began, trying to hide his amusement, "the princess wishes to see you as soon as possible."

Goomessa immediately perked up. "Ooh, Peach wants to see you! Can I come?"

The Toad shook his head. "The princess insisted Mario come alone."

"But I can come, right?"

The Toad stared at Goomessa. "Yeah, sure."

So she followed him upstairs into the hallway where Peach was waiting. Peach didn't hear him coming until he was right behind her.

"Oh! Mario, you're here! I'm so glad you came! It's such a big party out there, don't you agree? And I thought it was too much, so I had to retreat to the hall. I even told the decorators I didn't want a huge party, but would they listen? Oh no, of course not!" She was so busy ranting she didn't notice Goomessa standing there until she stopped right in her face. "Where did you come from?" she asked, bewildered.

Goomessa answered awkwardly, although also annoyed. "Well, originally, I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but I moved a couple of months ago to the GoomTown district, in that one place, over there," and she gestured somewhere east of their current location, "or something…you know, where all the Goombas live. You know, except for that cute little Toad? The one who does that thing…and-and stuff…Aw, whatever, you know the place," she finished, rolling her eyes.

Peach nodded confusedly. She then looked questioningly at Mario, as if asking him to explain. Mario just shrugged. Goomessa began doing a little jig, the music in the party room being loud enough to hear all the way the hallway.

"Well, okay then," Peach broke the uncomfortable silence and walked over to a refreshment table at the end of the hallway. Bringing exotic drinks and doughnuts for everyone, she started up a simple conversation. "So, Mario, how have you been in the last-how long has it been? Two months? Three months?-since I saw you?"

"Oh, it's been swell," Mario replied absent-mindedly; he was thinking about how the sky had suddenly tuned pitch black, even though it was only half after seven on a summer's day. "Luigi and I have-you know what, girls? I think I'm gonna check out that big dark cloud. Sorry."

He got of his chair and started for the door. Goomessa and Peach followed him. But not long afterwards, a low shake emitted out of nowhere, first a low quake, but it eventually rose to a horrible tremor. It was accompanied by a fierce gale that swept across the trees, making them bend over.

"Why does this feel strangely familiar?" Mario yelled, running aimlessly and running into a wall.

But it wasn't Bowser or anyone Mario recognized trying to take over the castle. This time, crashing the window in was a tall ghastly black figure with a black top hat, a black cape, and a large black scepter. The only thing about it that was not black was its blinding white eyes.

"So…" Even from its voice Mario could not tell whether it was a male or female. Its tones were squeaky yet breath-filled. Mario felt as if the single word had slunk out of the figure's mouth and was strangling him. "You're the famous Mario, aren't you? It seems we've finally met."

Goomessa, in all her impudence, was not intimidated by the figure, no matter how dangerous it seemed. "How exactly do you know Mario, anyway?" she demanded derisively.

This time when the figure spoke, Mario was sure it was a man. "What an insolent child!" Goomessa's defiant expression changed to one of outrage as he continued. "You will all pay for this. You will pay dearly for what you have done to my kingdom!"

Mario, Peach, and Goomessa were now clearly confused as he explained. "It's all because of you that it happened. The evil darkness-" Then he broke off. A few moments pause gave the others some time to think about what he had said. What was this darkness he spoke of? He then began again, stronger this time. "Hate in the hearts of citizens is what causes this darkness."

"So why do you think it's our fault?" Peach asked.

He answered by holding up his scepter. "This scepter will give me anything I want. So I asked to find out where the hate in the world was strongest, and it pointed me towards the Mushroom Kingdom. So I'm going to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom! I have power over the darkness now, so I can bring it here. I can take over the entire world with this stuff! And afterwards I will warn the rest of the world that if they defy me they will be thrown into the darkness as well! I will be known worldwide as King Troy of the Clou-King Troy! But first I have to make the Mushroom Kingdom disappear. And I'm going to start," and he pointed his scepter a Mario, "with you."

Mario's eyes widened, and he saw the eerie black flash that came from the scepter for less than a second before it hit him. He felt almost like he was being blasted with a neutralizing ray, his very particles of matter being destroyed.

Then nothing. Goomessa and Peach gaped as the flash cleared. Mario was completely gone.

* * *

Thank you for reading! I hope you're enjoying the story!

By the way, I know I said Goomessa had a Boston accent in the last chapter whereas I said she was from Philadelphia here. To clarify, I often say "Boston" to refer to the northeast in general. SO DON'T KILL ME PLEASE!


	5. Intro: Part V

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here goes part five of Legend of the Clouds. I'd like to remind you that I don't own the Mario series. Any of it. That means characters, principles, ideas, and yaddah yaddah yaddah. The only thing I do own is my original character, Goomessa. SO DON'T STEAL HER! Or something…**

* * *

"No…no, this can't happen…where'd he go…how…" Peach stammered in disbelief. "How could he just disappear like that?" she asked no one in particular.

Goomessa simply stood in shock, unable to move. A cold shiver ran down her body as she thought of everything that could have happened to Mario when the darkness had hit him. Had he been teleported somewhere else on Earth? Somewhere else in the universe? Had he been warped to another dimension? Or-she shuddered again at the thought-had he simply disintegrated, never to be seen again?

Suddenly Peach rounded on Troy, the mystery man who had caused Mario to vanish. "You!" she shouted. "How could you do this? This is twisted and evil! Mario never did anything to you! And you had to-" but she stopped dead when she found a scepter right her face.

"I have no time to hear you complain, girl," Troy said unsympathetically. "I'm about to rid the world of you and all of your friends and family. I honestly don't care what you have to say."

So Peach didn't speak again. Troy then held his scepter high again. But this time, it made Peach, Goomessa, and him to rise up through the ceiling until they were quite high in the sky.

"Now watch!" he cried gleefully, "Watch as your entire kingdom is destroyed by the magnificent power of total darkness!"

And as he said this, a black bolt of lightning hit the ground and spread for miles in every direction, causing everything it touched to disappear. The sound of paper being ripped could be heard as the darkness quickly spread and left nothing in its trail.

The Mushroom Kingdom was literally falling apart at the seams.

* * *

_Wh-what happened?_

_Where am I? I can't tell…_

_This doesn't feel right…Actually, this doesn't feel like anything at all…I feel numb…_

_I can't see anything either. Or hear anything._

_What's going on here?!_

_I want answers.  
_Mario reached a hand out and tried to touch something. Anything. But there wasn't anything there. He attempted to wriggle helplessly and discovered he was regaining movement in his legs. _This is strange, _he thought. _Why can't I see anything still?_ It was just then that he realized he could see and hear, there was just nothing to see or hear. _Where am I!? Someone tell me!_

What happened next shocked him. _You don't have to yell, _a different voice whined. It belonged to something young and female. _It's not our fault Troy had to go all insane and blow the Mushroom Kingdom to bits. So don't blame it on us._ The voice seemed to come from inside Mario's own head.

_Well, he has every right to be mad. _Yet another voice, male this time, reasoned with the first. _First Troy crashed the party, and then he vanishes the man. And now he's freaked out because he has to come here. I would be angry and confused too. Maybe instead of thinking only about your own depression, or whatever it is, you should think of how other people are feeling. Taking everything as an insult doesn't make people feel sorry for you. It just makes you look like a sadistic attention-hog._

_I hate you, _the first voice said simply. _Fine by me, _the second replied.

Mario searched for the source of the voices, now able to stand up. "Where are you?" he asked. He was surprised by his own voice, cracked as though he hadn't used it for a while. He was overcome with worry. _How long was I out? _He wondered, hoping the mysterious other voice would answer him again.

His hopes were dashed when a few moments went by in silence. "Do I have to stay here forever?" he tried again.

No dice.

He began walking, not knowing where he was going. _Something has to happen eventually, _he tried to convince himself. But he wasn't so sure.

Finally, after what could have been seconds or years, he heard from the voices again, although the one that spoke first was another different one, a female with an unusually high voice for its age. _Do you think we can tell him? _She asked.

_Don't ask me, _the other girl responded despondently. _I don't get to talk, remember?_

_There you go again, _the male sighed, exasperated.

_Please, friends! Back to the point at hand!_ Another male spoke this time in a baritone that seemed to ring on for a moment after it finished speaking.

_Right,_ the second voice said.

_I think he has a right to know. It's only fair. After all, he's saved the world before, and some other worlds. And some other galaxies. And…well, you know what I mean. And he's kinda cute, too,_ Voice #3 answered thoughtfully, with a bit of a trill at the last sentence. Voice #1 retched.

Voice #4 spoke up again. _You have certainly got a point. I do believe we should tell him of the troubles with which we are faced. What's the harm?_

Voice #1 disagreed. _The harm would be if he messed this up, got himself killed, and then the darkness takes over the entire universe, and what little power we have over the situation becomes meaningless and we're stuck being Troy's servants. How do you like that?_

Finally Mario broke in. "Hey, I don't know who you guys are, but I can hear you. If you want to talk about whether I'm fit to get rid of the…whatever it is, then you can say it in my face."

_Well, it seems we've been found out, wouldn't you say?_ Voice #4 said, surprised.

_Ya think? _Another new female voice that sounded rather Southern asked sarcastically.

_Well, you needn't be fussy, _Voice #4 replied.

_Yes I sure do need be all fussy and all that, _the fifth voice snapped, trying to sound like the third but not doing a very good job.

_No you needn't. Besides, I should say we would not be very kind hosts to keep poor Mario waiting, would we?_

_I guess not, _Voice #5 gave in.

Presently, Mario saw seven figures begin to form. The one farthest from him was a young Koopa in a black shirt and long black skirt. She also looked rather unhappy about something. Mario decided she must own Voice #1. He deduced after that that the smartly dressed Boo with neatly parted blonde hair to the right of the tall Toad in front was the owner of Voice #4. Looking rather determined and proud, to the very left, was a red Bomb-omb with a pink belle hat on, whom he figured used Voice #5 when she spoke. Directly across from her was a blue Yoshi who sported a loud orange robe, a louder pink top hat, and an expression of extreme perkiness-Mario decided she was the soprano who used Voice #3. The Toad in front, who wore a white tunic with a wide brown sash and a look of solemnity on his face, most likely owned Voice #2. The other two figures-a Fuzzy that wore a brown headdress and blue tuxedo, and who must have been even more hocked up on caffeine than Fuzzies usually were, and a Star Child who wore only a maroon cape-stood to the left of the Toad and to the left of the Koopa, respectively.

"Mario," the Toad said. Mario was not sure what to say, so he just bit his lip and held out his hand.

It was evident the spirits, or guardians, or whatever they were, knew of Mario's awkwardness, because all of their faces split into grins-except the Koopa's. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, Mario," the Yoshi assured. "We're the worldly spiri-" At this point the Toad shoved a hand in her face. Mario narrowed his eyebrows.

"Look, whoever you are, if it's so important that I do something about the control freak who wants to kill us all, I think you should tell me what you want to do."

"Fine," the Toad sighed. "Troy-the 'control freak'-plans to use the darkness to take over the universe, sort of as a way to threaten people into doing what he wants. Get it?" Mario nodded.

"Good, because there isn't much time," the Bomb-omb took over. "Troy has vanished the Mushroom Kingdom, and everyone in it. But because we have a favor to ask of you, we've brought you here."

"And so here is the favor." The Boo began speaking. "We ask please that you save the universe from being taken over, or even worse, vanished, by Troy. If you can somehow defeat Troy for good, then all of the spots that have been vanished should return as normal. I assume you still understand?" Mario nodded again.

"Remember, this is a dangerous proposition," the Fuzzy spoke this time, in a high tenor that rather suited his erratic movements. "So many citizens are afraid of Troy that they will attack anyone who attempts to go against him, just to stay on his good side."

"And lots of monsters will stand in your way as guardians of the Legendary Cloud Fragments." The Star spoke now, with a high but serious voice, which seemed to command everyone to listen. "Do you accept this mission?"

"Before he says anything-" the Koopa began.

"Don't call me 'he'! I'm standing right here!"

"Fine! Before _you _say anything, we should tell you about the Cloud Fragments. See, there was this place called Plathora-they made clouds there-and there was this magic cloud that they worshiped called the Cloud of Dreams. It is said that you can pray to the cloud, and it will give you anything you ask for."

"Anything you ask for?" Mario blanched. This reminded him of Troy, who had said the same thing. Was his scepter possibly the Cloud of Dreams?

"I know what you're thinking," the Koopa continued, "but it's not true. Troy has only a part of the Cloud. Still, a single fragment of the Cloud is enough to grant one's every wish. In Troy's hands, this is obviously not a good thing. The other seven Fragments are scattered around the world. It is imperative that you retrieve them all. This will enable you to fight Troy. Okay?" Mario nodded his head.

"So you understand everything we are asking of you, and you know what you must do to save the universe from the darkness. Will you do it?"

The spirits looked expectantly at Mario. Seeing the pleading look on their faces, he realized he could not refuse. This was as important a quest as any, and he had to save the universe from the darkness whatever it took. So for the fifth time, he nodded determinedly.

The broad grateful smiles on each and every one of them gave Mario a sense of comfort and bravery as he was teleported back to Earth on a new adventure.

* * *

**Maybe a little too much exposition, but I knew I had to fit all of this in to one chapter to keep the intensity. So thank you for reading! Have a nice day!**


	6. Dofters and Dragons: Part I

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here it comes… THE ACTUAL STORY OF THE LEGEND OF THE CLOUDS! Here's part one. Dang, it's only six parts into my first story and the disclaimer is already getting annoying…I don't own the Mario series or anything in, for, or about it. That means characters, principles, ideas, and all that good cheese. The only things I do own are my original character, Goomessa, and also Troy, King of the Clou-I mean King of Earth. SO DON'T STEAL THEM! Unless-I forgot to say this before-you have my permission. So sit back with a pound of bacon and enjoy the show! I mean story! I promise, I don't own iCarly, I just thought that would be funny.**

* * *

"So what do we have to deliver today, Shiff?" asked a Toad casually to a Toadette walking next to him.

"Well, we have some bills for Merlon-he really should quit trying to get his electric eraser to work. What's the point of that thing anyway? Why would you need a plug-in eraser? Anyway, we also have some letters for the mayor, and-" But she stopped dead as she saw it.

Where Toad Town ought to be, there was some kind of pitch black barrier expanding towards them. "Uh, Cruss, what's that?"

Cruss T. looked up and saw the monstrosity as well. As it came closer to them, it traveled faster. Somehow, Cruss and Shiff both knew this was not something they should stand and talk about. "Run, Shiff!"

"Right behind you!" The Toads ran as fast as they could, but the darkness was faster. In a matter of seconds, they had disappeared, to join countless others as the newest residents of the Land of Dark Clouds.

* * *

Peach sat frustrated, too tired to get up and pace as she would have wanted to do in a situation like this. She was still pondering what had happened to give Troy such a change of heart. The events were still fresh in her mind, and she recalled them all too quickly:

"_Now watch!" Troy cried gleefully, "Watch as your entire kingdom is destroyed by the magnificent power of total darkness!"_

_And as he said this, a black bolt of lightning hit the ground and spread for miles in every direction, causing everything it touched to disappear. The sound of paper being ripped could be heard as the darkness quickly spread and left nothing in its trail._

_The pitch-black energy forced its way towards the castle at a frightening rate. Peach could see it also spreading in the opposite direction. But she could do nothing but struggle helplessly in Troy's grip and watch the darkness approach them._

_But then, as it was about to envelop the three of them in horrible black-whatever it was made of-Troy suddenly moved again. In one swift movement, he drew his right arm back and tossed Goomessa away with all the strength of the Summer Olympians. Peach watched in horror as she flew far off into the distance, much farther than the darkness could reach. She then looked at Troy in terrified anticipation. But instead of throwing Peach along with Goomessa, he raised his scepter again._

_There was only a blinding flash of black and Troy and Peach no longer floated above the castle._

* * *

"WHAT?!!" screamed a large dragon with smoking ears and horns like flame. "CAN'T YOU PEOPLE DO ANYTHING RIGHT?!" His eyes twitched in fury. His eyes blazed and burned into his servants' skulls.

The servants knew the question was not to be answered, but they also knew that reusing to speak would get them in big trouble too. So a Hammer Bro. in front whimpered, "I guess not."

"SHUT UP!" Bowser bellowed. Taking some time to relax, he continued, "It matters not. As long as you can grab Mario before he messes anything else up, it'll be fine."

"YES SIR!" The Koopas shouted and saluted as one and made for the door. When they had all left, Bowser turned away and muttered to himself, "I wonder if it's right to trust these chumps with capturing Mario for the twentieth time. Aw, they'll be fine."

* * *

"AHHHH-aiiie!" cried Mario, falling from the sky and landing in a meadow. "Owwwww…" Gathering himself, he stood up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "They could have at least put me right on the ground," he grumbled. Sighing resentfully at the prospect of saving the world again, he began to walk slowly through the tall grass that covered the ground almost up to his waist. _This is stupid, _he thought. _It doesn't even look like I'm getting anywhere. The mountain on the horizon isn't getting any shorter, and nothing is getting any closer. _But he decided it was nothing to worry about.

He continued to walk for what seemed like hours, but the horizon remained unchanged. _Am I really tired or what? _He decided that was entirely possible, considering how long he had been walking. _But it's definitely not getting closer or bigger. _With a shock, he realized it was, on the contrary, looking much smaller than it had when he had first landed. _There's something wrong with this place. I'm walking towards the place, but it looks like I'm walking away. That, and it's getting really hard to walk altogether. Wait a minute...oh no..._Looking down, he discovered in horror that he was walking in quicksand, and had been doing so for at least five hours.

Mario immediately panicked. The first thing he did was yell helplessly. "Someone get me out of here!" he shouted, though he was well aware no one could hear. He tried to pull out his foot and wished he had figured out he was where he was around four hours and fifty-five minutes ago. His leg was utterly glued to the ground and still sinking. "Why me?!" he cried. "Someone, anyone, HELP!"

Help didn't come, and finally Mario had to sit down. "Oh, why me," he whispered, gently shaking his fist in the air. "Please help."

Still nothing happened. Mario lost hope after another ten minutes of silence in the air. By now most of his chest was gone. His head hung low, he began to doze, knowing it didn't matter how he spent his last couple of minutes.

* * *

Every inch of the place was pure disgusting. _They call this a beautiful forest? _She thought. You couldn't go two steps without stepping on a rotten -was that supposed to be food? _Moving on_, she thought with a shudder. _Oh, this place is horrible, _she conceded. What was worse was that she didn't even remember how she'd gotten there. She remembered having some kind of yucky herbal tea with two other people-she couldn't remember them either-and then the big earthquake…and then…nothing…

She just wanted to scream. She would have, too, but she was too tired to exert any more effort than it took to stagger through the endless forest. Nursing a stress headache, she continued walking, lost, through the woods.

But finally, she heard something. She couldn't tell what it was, but after five and a half hours, she didn't care. Everything sounded like beautiful music at this point. She advanced towards the source of the sound, and suddenly felt sun on her face. Looking up, she realized she was out of the forest. She looked back down and saw that not two feet in front of her was a vast clearing-made completely of quicksand. _That's a odd place to put quicksand, _she thought. _Considering someone could forget to look down, and then they wouldn't see it- _But then she saw something that interrupted her thoughts. It was red, and it had what looked like…a head below it. Then it hit her.

_It's an invitation from the princess-I'm going to the castle! -originally I'm from Philadelphia-How exactly do you know Mario, anyway-_Yes! Mario! That was his name! He was stuck head-high in quicksand! _But how do I get him out? _She searched her mind. Was it that if you pulled hard enough that they would come out? Or did you have to pull a certain way? Or what was it? _Oh, what am I doing sitting here? He's _sinking_!_

* * *

He didn't know when, but Mario woke up to the sound of feet pattering across the sand. He didn't know what it was, but for some reason he expected the worst. _I guess being stuck in quicksand, without ever a chance of living and knowing the world is going to be swallowed up by eternal darkness can do that to a person, _he thought grimly. But suddenly, he felt a tug on his shoulders. _What's going on? _He panicked again. Then he felt himself being pulled upwards. He found feeling in his neck and was able to turn his head. He did so, and behind him, he saw a sequin cerulean dress, and above it, the familiar orange body of a petite Goomba.

"Are you-am I seeing things?" he thought aloud. He kept being pulled out of the sand by his savior, and before long he was completely out. He turned around again. Mario rescuer was indeed the small but bold Goomba, Goomessa, who had accompanied him to the castle. Somehow that had seemed so long ago. When he broke out of his thoughts, he looked back at his companion and picked her up, a sudden wash of gratefulness coming over him.

"Thank you so much, Goomessa! I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't saved me!"

"Oh, don't mention it," replied Goomessa.

Mario gave his friend a funny look. "'Don't mention it'?" he echoed. "That's not the Goomessa I know. What happened?"

Goomessa shook her head. "Let's just say five hours without hearing or seeing life-communicable life, anyway-can really change a person."

"I know just what you mean."

"Maybe we should go back to the big town where Mr. Anger Issues threw me to."

So making their way back into the forest, the pair took off for the next part of their journey.

* * *

**How do you like it so far? I know you were all impatient for the actual story, so I hope you like it!**

**By the way, I was thinking of naming the spirit guardians. Read the last part of part 5 again; you'll see I changed the Gloomba to a Yoshi, and the Bumptie to a Star Child.**

**Koopa-Amber**

**Toad-Ramone (I know technically it should be something that you can add T. to to make it a word that describes him, but he's an all-powerful guardian, so it's okay, right?)**

**Yoshi-Callie**

**Boo-Phineas**

**Bob-bomb-Sandy (Yes I got that off of Spongebob; a Southern girl named Sandy. Just remember, I don't own Spongebob...unfortunately.)**

**Fuzzy-Roberto**

**Star Child-Napoleon**

**Now I have a proposition to make to you guys. Can you guys think of better names? If I like your names (which you can tell me by clicking on the magic green button down there) better, I'll change mine to yours.**

**Thank you Connecticut. By the way I don't own Connecticut.**


	7. Dofters and Dragons: Part II

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here it is…get ready…grab yourself a smoothie… It's part two of the Legend of the Clouds! Part two? Part two?! PART TWO!!!!!!! Here we go. Listen, peoples, I don't own the Mario series or anything in, for, or about it. That means characters, principles, ideas, and all that good stuff that I wish I owned. So now you can't sue me! But if you can see this bumper sticker, I can stomp on the brakes and sue your lying butt. GOT THAT? The only things I do own are my original characters, Goomessa, and Troy, King of the Clou-I mean King of Earth. SO DON'T STEAL THEM! Unless you are premittedificated to do so by yours truly. KAY? GOOD.**

* * *

"You weren't kidding when you told me this place was gross," Mario said to Goomessa, who was following him cautiously. "When do we get to this town, anyway?"

"Well, considering it took me five hours and thirty minutes to find you…five hours and thirty minutes." Goomessa hung her head.

"We can't wait five and a half hours!" Mario tugged at his hair, racking his brain for a faster way to find Goomessa point of landing.

Goomessa stepped back defensively. "Well, I can't do anything about it," she whined.

"Sure you can," A voice came from nowhere. It was sure and firm, and Mario heard it loud and clear. He looked back at his little Goomba friend, expecting to see his look of shock reflected on her face, but Goomessa continued to defend herself, without any indication she'd heard the voice.

"She can't hear us," a different voice explained. Realization came over Mario; these were the voices of the spirit guardians. It was the Boo who had just spoken.

"So how do we get out?" he asked them.

"Did I not just say I don't know any other way?" Goomessa looked thoroughly annoyed. Mario waved a hand for silence. Ignoring the dejected look on his friend's face, Mario listened for an answer.

Presently the Toad spoke to him. "Goomessa got out of the forest because she really wanted something-she wanted to find somebody. It must have been fate Goomessa and you landed where you did, or else you both would never get out of your predicaments. So do you realize what you have to do?"

Mario nodded. Turning back to Goomessa, he began to explain what the Toad had just told him. A grin replaced Goomessa's confused expression as Mario mentioned her own escape from the forest. "I get it," she said when Mario had finished. "All we have to do is think clearly of the town I landed in. Then we'll be able to get there in no time. Right?"

"Right. By the way," Mario added, "why did you leave the town anyway?"

"You'll know when we get there." Goomessa grimaced. "It's almost worse than this."

Mario wasn't sure that was possible, but he took Goomessa's word for it. "So what do we have to think to get there?"

"Oh, let's see…" Goomessa thought for a moment. "Just think all things dreary and boring and you'll be just fine."

Mario must have looked surprised, for Goomessa added, "But it's not all like that. There are a few nice, interesting people there. And I was only in one part of the town. For all we know, the other parts could be really cool."

Mario folded his arms in thought. "You know, Goomessa, you sound a lot like two friends I had before."

"Really?"

"Yeah…Goomessa, would you like to travel with me throughout my adventure? You know, to save the world?"

Goomessa gawked, as though she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Would I!" she replied, and then hugged Mario. "I can do anything a normal Goomba can, only I can also Tattle on enemies to tell you about them and how to defeat them. Kay?"

Mario gave her a thumbs-up, then turned back around and concentrated. He thought of simple things, things that, as Goomessa had put it, were boring and dreary. _It shouldn't be so difficult,_ he thought, but it was. He was too apprehensive of what might be ahead that he couldn't concentrate on simple things. "Goomessa, I'm having trouble," he admitted.

"Don't worry," the Goomba replied. "I know what the town is like. Just carry me, and I should be able to lead the two of us there."

Mario nodded and picked her up. He then walked with her wrapped in his arms for a few minutes. "Do you think this will work? Cause I'm thinking," Goomessa commented.

"It has to work," Mario replied, but no sooner had he than they heard a rustling in the bushes. Mario and Goomessa stared the bush down, anticipating an attack.

They weren't disappointed. A moment afterwards, three creatures jumped out and attacked them.

When they landed, Mario braced himself, but found he recognized only two of them-in the front was a Spiked Goomba, to his left was a regular Koopa. But to the Goomba's right was something Mario didn't know the name of. It looked like someone had taken a children's model of the sun, with spikes around the circumference and all, and dyed it green. It was brightly colored and shone. Mario was dumbfounded; this thing was certainly not something Mario knew how to handle. "Goomessa, what is that?" he asked his new partner.

Goomessa looked warily at the creature, and came up almost instantaneously with the answer. "That's a Forest Bogey. It's a glowing ball of forest energy. Kinda creepy if you ask me.

"It has a maximum HP of 7, an attack level of 2, and a defense of 1. It attacks by shooting tree branches at its target. _Large_ tree branches. _Sharp _large tree branches. That could really hurt a person!

"I wonder what a glowing ball of forest energy thinks. Glowing foresty things? Hmm…" When Goomessa had finished, Mario nodded and walloped the Bogey with his hammer. It hissed, and Mario shrieked. He definitely had not expected a hiss from a glowing kickball.

Goomessa ran up to the Koopa and gave it a Headbonk. It fell on its back.

This continued for a few minutes, with Mario and Goomessa delivering attacks and the monsters retaliating, until only the Bogey remained. Mario ran up to it and landed a jump on top of it, stuffing his foot in its face-or where its face would have been. Goomessa bonked her head against it, and it let out a final hiss before laying still.

Mario wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I'm glad that's over," he said.

"Now all we have to do is find the town. What was it called again? Tilli-no…Yilli-no, that's not it…Oh! It's called Gillisville. Cute name, I guess." Goomessa shrugged. "It's just Koopas that live there," she added.

So Mario picked her back up, and started walking again. Having cleared a few enemies out seemed to have calmed Goomessa's mind, because within moments, the two could see a clearing in the trees. Soon, the forest had disappeared.

When they had arrived at the entrance to Gillisville, Mario looked around. With a flash of guilt, Mario realized Goomessa was right about the blandness of the town. The houses were virtually identical; the ground was made entirely of sand; and the citizens wore the same apparel (a sort of torn rag that extended past their feet and dragged against the ground when they walked). Mario put a hand to his mouth to hide his disappointment. Placing Goomessa back down on the ground, he began to explore.

"Well, as long as we're here, we might ask one of the villagers if they've seen the Cloud Fragments."

"Those things they say are supposed to be on a magical CloudThing…or something to that effect?"

"That's right. We have to find them so we can put the Cloud of Dreams back together."

Goomessa beamed. Mario waved at a Koopa, who walked over. "Do you need something, sir?" the Koopa asked.

"Yes," Mario answered, "we want to know if there's anything here…" He didn't know what to say, so he just told the truth. "…called a Cloud Fragment."

The Koopa's welcoming expression faltered. "Excuse me, what is it you wanted?"

Mario believed he had spoken clearly, but he repeated the words anyway. "A Cloud Fragment."

The Koopa looked shocked. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" he snapped. Mario stepped back. "What are you talking about?" he replied.

"Can you believe it?" the Koopa asked some other nearby villagers, ignoring Mario. "He just asked about…you know, the thing." The others' eyes went wide.

"I have no idea what the big deal is," Goomessa yelled above the sudden chatter, commanding silence. "All we want is to know if there's a Cloud Fragment here, and we'd hear it even better if you'd stop blabbering about how we've _apparently_ said something horrible and crass." She then looked at the villagers with a gleam in her eyes, challenging any of them to reply.

"I'm sorry," a different villager answered. "But the sacred-you guys okay with me saying it? Okay-the sacred Cloud Fragments are to be spoken of only by the mayor. Ever since…him…" All of the villagers shuddered. "If you want to ask anyone about them, ask Gillis. He's the mayor," he added, and pointed towards Gillis's house, which was no different than anyone else's.

"Thank you," Mario said to the group of villagers before they dispersed. "Well," he continued, tuning to Goomessa, "it looks like we have find this Gillis guy and figure things out. If he knows about the Fragments, he can probably help us find them. I have a feeling we can get at least some knowledge from him." Starting off towards the house to which the second Koopa had directed them, he added, "That, and I really don't want to back to that forest."

* * *

**Thank you for reading! I'm really glad I'm able to keep writing this without putting it off to write something completely different and forget about this story. So have a nice day and keep on breathing!**


	8. Dofters and Dragons: Part III

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here it is: Legend of the Clouds! Part three! Yay. Dang, I'm running out of weird things to write for the introduction. UCTIONS! Here we go. Remember that I don't own the Mario series. That includes characters, principles, ideas, and the whole nine yards. The only things I do own are my original characters, Goomessa, and Troy, King of the Clou-I mean King of Earth. And also the new person who is going to be introduced into the story. So don't steal them! Unless I say you can, in which case obviously you can use them. Got it? Good.**

* * *

"I feel sorry for the villagers here," Mario noted, picking his way through the sagebrush that had begun to stand in the way of him and Goomessa. "They have to walk barefoot through this sand."

"Do you think we'll really be able to find the Fragments before Troy destroys the universe? I'm scared," Goomessa confessed.

"Of course we'll find them," Mario assured her, "All we have to do is put our minds to something, and we can do whatever we want to do." He tried to sound confident, although to tell the truth, he wasn't so sure of what he was saying himself.

But it seemed to work for Goomessa. "Yeah, you're right. I bet we could do this. I just hope we have help along the way," she mused.

Mario looked over his shoulder and replied in a leisurely tone, "We will, trust me. If I know my adventures, we'll have more help."

The pair continued walking tiredly through Gillisvile. "Where was that mayor's house again?"

Goomessa gestured towards where they were supposed to going. Gillis's home was just up the steps in front of them. "Carry me?" Goomessa pleaded.

"You're pathetic," Mario joked. "Sure."

So he brought her up the steps with him. He put her down and walked up to the door to the house. Knocking twice, he stepped back and waited. Nothing happened. "Hello?" he called.

"It's open," said someone who must have been Gillis from inside. So Mario walked inside. What he saw was not what he expected. The house that looked so dull from the outside was actually quite handsomely furnished on the inside. His gaze traveled around the foyer until he saw a Koopa lying on the floor, who wore a full-length coat; it looked almost exactly like the ones the other villagers wore, except it was white and didn't need a major repair job.

Goomessa followed inside and saw the Koopa too. The two of them ran to his side. "Excuse me, sir," Goomessa began, "Is there something wrong? Why are you on the floor?"

The Koopa raised his head slightly. "Sorry to answer a question with a question, but who are you? I haven't seen you before."

Mario's face assumed an exasperated expression. "Nobody knows who I am, do they?" he asked to nobody in particular. "My name is Mario," he told the Koopa.

"And I'm Goomessa," Goomessa declared proudly.

"My name is Gillis. Nice to see you," the Koopa replied, getting up off the floor. "Or…I don't really know if it's nice to see anyone right now."

"How come?" Goomessa asked quietly.

"I don't see that it matters to you," the Koopa returned, polite but dismissive.

"But it could," Mario begged. "See, we have to find the-" But he stopped himself, remembering that he was apparently not to say the name out loud. "We have to find something. Something important. And we think you could help us."

"If you want help, you've come to the wrong place," the Koopa sounded irritated this time.

"No, really!" Goomessa coaxed. "You can help us with this. It's something the other Koopas said you knew about. They're called- do you think I should tell him, Mario?" Mario thought for a moment, and then shrugged. "I suppose so."

"We need to find the Cloud Fragments," Goomessa continued. Gillis looked up immediately.

"The Cloud Fragments!" he cried. After that he openly took stock of how unfit Mario Goomessa looked to go on such a dangerous quest, and began speaking again. "_You're_ going to find the Cloud Fragments?"

Mario and Goomessa nodded.

"Well, why didn't you just say so?" Gillis looked rather annoyed, as if to say "Young people these days" even though he didn't look that old. "I guess I can help you with that. But first I should tell you what happened so that the Cloud Fragments are so sacred. It's scary, what happened.

"It was just a normal day here, see? It was a bit rainy, but it was a nice kind of rainy. Oh, how I love rainy days…" Gillis stopped talking, lost in thought. Mario called his name, and he snapped back to attention. "Right, the story," he nodded and continued his speech.

"Where was I? Oh yes! the rainy day. I was about to buy some juice for my daughter- she loves juice, she really does- when suddenly there was this flash of black lightning, and this big dark cloud appeared out of nowhere. And out of it came this really creepy man in a black cloak and hat and robe.

"Now, let me explain what happens next. See, Gillisville is the closest place to where Plathora used to be. So when it was destroyed, the task of guarding the Cloud Fragments fell to me. I guess that somehow the black-robed man knew I had them, because upon seeing me, he demanded I give them to him.

"Now, of course I didn't give him the Fragments, because I had to protect them. I didn't know why, but I was sure this guy was nothing but trouble. So I refused to give them to him.

"No, _that_ really made him mad. He threatened to destroy Gillisville if I didn't bring them to him 'right now, or else'. So I thought myself up a clever little plan. I would go to my house and get rid of them.

"But I found that they wouldn't stay away. It was weird- like they were physically stuck to me.

"So I prayed to the spirit guardians- you know who they are right? Good- and asked how I could get rid of the Fragments before the evil man took them. They gave me the answer right away. They said the only way to get rid of the Fragments was to make each one go to its own spirit guardian. So I did.

"But I knew that all the time I'd been doing this, the man was getting impatient- possibly even destroying things with his scepter like he'd threatened to do. Running out of my house, I devised another plan. I told the bad man that I couldn't find the Fragments. He was outraged and I don't think he believed me. But he searched my house himself and couldn't find them either. So he just left. But before that, he waved his scepter around and turned Gillisville into…this," Gillis finished waving his armed around to indicate the whole town.

"So it wasn't like this before?" Goomessa asked when the two were sure Gillis was quite done.

"No, it wasn't," Gillis replied solemnly. "It used to be a bright and sunny town where people would come to trade and talk. But when the first person to come here after the black-robed man came saw what had happened…well, word of mouth is very strong. There hasn't been a single visitor before you in a long while."

"Gillis, what did you say about getting rid of the Cloud Fragments?" Mario asked gently after a few minutes. The pair could tell Gillis wanted to be alone, but they needed to find a way to obtain the Fragments.

Gillis looked at Mario, seeming surprised, as though he'd forgotten they were there. "What you have to do is send them off to their respective spirit guardians. But I don't see how that helps-ohhhh…" He suddenly broke off in realization. "So all you would have to do is find the guardians! They're probably still in the Haven of the Spirits. Unless…" Gillis suddenly looked frustrated.

"Unless what?" Goomessa prompted.

"Yes," Gillis said sadly. "They've probably been captured already and imprisoned in who-knows-where."

"But I was in the Haven of the Spirits before and they didn't have the Fragments," Mario was confused. "And that was only six hours ago."

Gillis simply stood staring at them, as though something strange and non sequitur had been said. "It wasn't them," he explained slowly, as though he were speaking to a young child. Then he cast an annoyed glance towards the ceiling and raised his hands in vexation. "Just when I thought the both of you had good heads on your shoulders…"

"Okay, I don't understand," Mario put a finger to his cheek and furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would it be that they weren't there? Were they just holograms or something?"

Gillis put a hand to his forehead and shook it. "No duh," he whispered, nursing a headache. "Of course they were holograms. Why would they tell you they needed you to retrieve the Fragments if they already had them? Even the guardians can't teleport something as holy as the Cloud Fragments. Come on, this is first grade."

"Look, it would help if you would quit insulting us and just explain to us what you wanted to say," Mario said agitatedly. "Okay? Just tell us what we have to do so we can find the Fragments."

Gillis looked at him, still with his hand on his head. His expression was troubled-or was it simply disturbed? "Fine," he sighed, "I'd say the rest of the Fragments are scattered in far off places. You'll probably have to do a lot of traveling to find all of them." Pulling his coat tighter around his body, he nodded resignedly to himself.

"You understand this could be dangerous, right? There could be any number of-"

"We heard it already," Goomessa interrupted him, "from one of the guardians."

Gillis let his head fall on his shoulder so that his eyes turned to Goomessa. "Look who's impatient to begin searching," he said to her with a touch of sarcastic ignorance in his voice. "But really," he continued, his voice fresh and clear this time, "you should be careful. There are some enemies that will keep the guardians in special locked-down rooms. You'll have to defeat these enemies to obtain the Fragments.

Goomessa muttered under her breath, "Thank you, Captain Obvious," but Gillis kept talking, having not heard her.

"Sometimes, these enemies will come in unexpected forms, so be wary of anything and everything. Got it?"

Mario narrowed his eyes, feeling his new friend was acting a bit paranoid, but he agreed nevertheless.

"Great!" Gillis beamed, looking actually happy for the first time the whole conversation. Mario smiled, pleased that the two had finally been able to give Gillis confidence that the guardians would be saved.

"The first place you might look," Gillis said with sudden exhilaration, "is Dofter Palace."

"Dofter?" Mario echoed.

"Dofter," Gillis confirmed. "They're a well-known family living in a cute little town south of here. It's rumored the spirit of the first Dofter-Casillian Dofter-actually still lives there and haunts the residents. He could easily be the first boss enemy. Let's see…The guardian you would find there would probably be Amber the Koopa."

Mario frowned, remembering his less-than-pleasant experience with the Koopa guardian who seemed to be depressed all of the time.

"Just a thought," Gillis continued, a bit of his agitated wariness creeping back into his attitude.

"Well, we'll try going there. It's worth a shot," Mario replied.

So having finished their lengthy and overly expository conversation with Gillis, the two set off south to find the Dofter Palace and rescue the first guardian.

* * *

**So what do you think? I hope you're still enjoying the story!**

**What do you think of Gillis? Rude? Obnoxious? Or just discouraged? Wow, that sounded so stupid, but I don't care. So click on the magic green button and tell me what you think!**


	9. Dofters and Dragons: Part IV

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here's part four of my original (for the most part) story, the Legend of the Clouds. As you can see, I'm trying not to say stupid things this time. So sad. So anyway, looks like it's disclaimer time, which is so frickin annoying. I don't own the Mario series. That includes characters, principles, ideas, and everything else that skips my mind right now. The only things I do own are my original characters, Goomessa, Troy, King of the Clou-I mean King of Earth, the new character whom you're going to see soon, and Gillis. Remember him? Well, whether you do or don't, I own him. So don't steal these all-important people! Unless I say you can, in which case obviously you're allowed to use them. Got it? Good. Now excuse me while I get myself some hot chocolate.**

**By the way, thanks to that one little guy, The Shroom Guy, GrossGirl18, and ChrisMSMB for being my reviewers so far!**

**And thanks to Squid Calamari and The Shroom Guy for favoriting my story!**

**And now that we're done mentioning random people's usernames, let's get on to the story.**

* * *

Trudging back through the brush and sand of Gillisville didn't do wonders for Mario and Goomessa legs, which still ached from the trip to Gillis's house. What was also self-defeating were the constant glares coming from the villagers who had heard about their use of the words Cloud Fragments. The two had learned upon entering the town that ever since Troy had stormed it down, demanding the Fragments and turning the place into an unappealing bog when he didn't get them, it had become unacceptable to use the term.

Travelling south towards their next destination, where the renowned Dofter Palace was to be found, the pair talked about what might be ahead, what they thought about what had happened so far, and all number of other subjects.

"So do you think Gillis is right? About that Casillian Dofter dude being the first guard enemy?"

Mario didn't answer; his attention was focused on something else. One villager in particular, whose shell was a rather neon purple, was giving the pair looks unlike everyone else's. The expressions given by this Koopa were a mix of interested and nervous rather than appalled, almost like he wanted to ask them something important, but couldn't summon up the courage to talk to them in front of the other villagers.

"Mario?" Goomessa tried to get his attention back. "What are you looking-" But before she finished, Mario pointed at the Koopa, and she followed his gaze.

"Oh," she said when she too had seen the different looks on the purple-shelled Koopa's face. She smiled thoughtfully, and then turned back to face Mario. "Should we say something?" she asked.

"No," Mario decided. "We can't let curiosity get the better of us if it means embarrassing him."

"Good point…" Goomessa was obviously disappointed, but didn't say more on the subject.

"By the way," Mario began, finding a way to change the subject, "do we get to the city where Dofter Palace is as soon as we leave?"

"Actually," Goomessa answered in her usual fresh, proud attitude, seeming to have suddenly forgotten her disappointment, "we have to cross Dofter Fields. They're really beautiful. The first Dofters cultivated and worked on them. I actually find it hard to believe that a family as rich as they could have been farmers." She then shrugged as she always did when there was nothing else to say.

As the pair neared the southern gate of Gillisville, Mario breathed in deeply, knowing this was the official beginning of his adventure to save the world. After a few detours and frustrations, it was finally time for him to begin his newest quest.

But of course it wasn't.

Just as he was about to push open the wooden doors, he heard the sound of squeaky sneakers pattering against sand. Turning around, he saw just what he had expected-the purple-shelled Koopa. Trying not to sound resigned or annoyed, he asked, "Can I help you?"

"Yes, you can," answered the Koopa with a touch of weak shyness in his voice, but he sounded otherwise calm and collected. "I was wondering…are you, by chance, going to Dofter Palace?"

This wasn't exactly the question Mario had planned to answer, but he replied affirmatively anyway.

"Great," the Koopa went on, relief flooding his face. "I wanted to ask you this before you leave, so it looks like I'm gonna have to do it now."

He looked serious now, so Mario leaned in to listen.

"Do you think-just out of the blue-do you think I could go there with you? It would mean the world to me. I've always wanted to go there, and I'd personally like to get out of here. It's so boring."

Goomessa looked truly excited, as though she would have liked to answer the question herself. Looking impatiently up at Mario, she discovered he was simply thinking about whether to accept the offer.

After a few moments of silence, the Koopa spoke again. "So can I?" he asked politely again. "If you're wondering, my name is Koopetto. Just saying."

Mario grinned. This Koopa was more different from the others than just the interested looks he had given them when the others had given nasty ones. He also seemed so full of life, where the other villagers, Gillis included, were teeming with gloom and despair. It was almost as though he wanted to keep up a good, strong life even when his friends had whole-heartedly given up. It was difficult to find a reason why Koopetto shouldn't be allowed to come along.

Mario looked down at Goomessa and could tell she was thinking the same thing. So turning back to face Koopetto, he held out his hand and announced, "Welcome to the party."

Koopetto's eyes went wide, as though he hadn't actually expected Mario to agree. "Really?" he cried.

"Really."

"Oh, thank you so much! This is such an honor!" When he had calmed himself down, he continued. "I can do lots of different things, like firing my shell at objects or enemies, or like grabbing things that are far away like a boomerang. I can even light on fire if my shell get enough friction on the ground. Is that cool?"

"Of course," Mario answered.

"I'm so glad you're letting me come with you," Koopetto continued, looking upwards at the sky with delight. "I can't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces when they know I'm travelling with Mario!"

Mario pretended to be interested in something on the ground to avoid reminding Koopetto that they probably wouldn't be amazed looks.

Goomessa, on the other hand, seemed even more excited. "I'm glad you're coming with us too," she gushed. "It does a lot of good to have more help, especially if the guard enemy is really strong. You know…" Then she shrugged.

Mario heard a hint of a fluttery swing in her voice. _Weird,_ he thought. "Well, we'd better go," he said suddenly.

"Yeah," Goomessa nodded distractedly.

And so the three friends stepped outside the gates to Dofter Fields with an all-new air of hope and enthusiasm.

* * *

"It's even more pretty than I remember," Koopetto commented in awe, admiring the Fields. "Wow…"

"Wait. More pretty than you remember?" Mario repeated his words. "So you've been here before?"

Koopetto nodded, but he was only half listening. "You lucky duck," Goomessa said, cocking her head to one side.

Mario rolled his eyes. What was up with his first partner? "Well, we'd better get going to the next city. What is it called anyway, Goomessa?" he asked hurriedly.

Goomessa did not answer at first; she was busy staring at something Mario couldn't see. "Goomessa," he repeated. Still she did not respond. "Goomessa!" he snapped. She jumped to attention. "Wait, where you talking to me?" She inquired absentmindedly.

"Yeah, I was," Mario replied, annoyed. "That would explain me asking, 'What's it called anyway, _Goomessa_?'"

"Right," Goomessa seemed thoroughly embarrassed, so Mario was ready to drop the subject. Being rude after he had already made her ashamed of herself was just plain mean.

But he had to try hard not to make a coarse remark when she asked him to tell her what he wanted to know the name of. "The city where we'll find the Dofters," he repeated hotly.

"Oh, it's called Shanell Town. Like Gillis said, it's pretty cute. Lot's of different people live there. You don't have to walk very far to find another merchant. Some will sell you good things at great prices, but some will give you a raw deal. Most of the people near the Dofters' house are nice people, but I guess you could say the farther you get from there, the more careful you should be. You never know what'll happen when you trust a stranger."

Mario smiled again, happy to hear that sharp, sassy voice once more, instead of the cute, girly one she had been using since they had met Koopetto.

The trio met numerous different enemies along the way to Shanell Town, none of them new or surprising. Defeating each one was a cinch. But by the time they reached what looked like an end to the Fields, the gang was reasonably tired.

"Hey, that looks like Shanell," Goomessa prompted in a crisp tone.

"I've never been to Shanell Town before," Koopetto gazed at their urban destination and put a hand to his chin.

"Me either," Goomessa answered, her girlish tone returning.

Koopetto frowned. "Then how did you know what it looked like?"

"Because," Goomessa paused, "I know stuff."

Koopetto narrowed his eyes in confusion. "You're cute," he remarked on Goomessa's odd attitude.

"Really?" Goomessa's eyes widened. Then she caught herself. "I mean, thanks! You're nice too!"

Mario stepped between them. "Yeah, we're all just sweet as caramel aren't we?" he said, irritated. Then he started walking towards Shanell. The other two followed.

Mario suddenly stopped at the entrance. "Hey, Koopetto," he called over his shoulder, "you go without us. We'll catch up."

"Cool." And Koopetto obeyed, striding into the new city past Mario.

Mario rounded on Goomessa. "What is it with you?" he asked.

Goomessa immediately assumed a defensive face. "What do you mean?" she retorted.

"I _mean_ you acting all mushy around him. You know you're a Goomba, right?"

"Hey! I prefer the term Goombette," Goomessa replied. "And besides, who says I can't like a member of a different species?"

"Whatever. I just think you should concentrate more on our journey than some Koopa we found in the middle of a giant litterbox. 'Kay?" he finished.

"Yeah, sure," Goomessa answered sullenly and pushed past Mario into Shanell.

* * *

**What did you think so far? I hope I didn't make it too overly blatant how Goomessa is feeling about our new character. I did didn't I? Aw, I don't care.**

**So click on the magic button and rate and review please!**


	10. Dofters and Dragons: Part V

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Unfortunately, it looks like I've run out of crazy juice for good, so I guess I won't be able to make the stupid disclaimer funny anymore. Hope you like part five of the first chapter of my first story, the Legend of the Clouds. That was a lot of of's. Okay, now listen and listen good. Or well. Or something. I don't any part of Mario. Shigeru Miyamoto and some other Japanese people (for whom, don't get me wrong, I actually have a lot of respect) do. When I say Mario, I mean things like characters, ideas, and all that other stuff I'm required to say I don't own. The only things I do own are my original characters, Goomessa, Troy, King of the Clou-I mean King of Earth, Koopetto, and Gillis. Looks like by next chapter I'm gonna have to stop listing my original characters, and count on you guys to remember who they are. So don't steal my characters. They're mine. This is of course, not in effect if you can muster up the motivation to ask me through magic green button. In that case, I'll probably give you permission to use them. Got it? Good.**

Mario simply stood at the gate, looking at the space where Goomessa had just been. It was hard to escape feeling guilty for what he had just done. Thinking back to a few moments, he realized he hadn't exactly been fair. Goomessa had been right when she had said there should be nothing to stop her from liking a different species. It had definitely happened with him from time to time (**thank you ChrisMSMB for pointing that out)**. Maybe he was just in a bad mood-but he still should not have taken it out on his friend. Although she probably wasn't good friends with him at the moment.

He decided he wasn't going to get her to forgive him by standing, and he wasn't going to find the Dofters either.

So he walked through the big gates to Shanell Town.

Shanell was rather small. As far as he could see, there were only seven establishments. There was a small shop-that would be useful after the many battles the party had fought in the Fields. There also was an inn, which they could stay at instead of buying recovery items, and instead spend their money on weapon items. To the left was an ordinary house, with a bright red roof and orange body, a definite contrast to the houses they had seen in Gillisville. Kitty-corner to that house was another with sky-colored roof and a periwinkle-shade body. _These people have weird tastes, _Mario thought. On a raised ledge, away from the rest of the building, lay the other three. Two of them were small cottages, both freshly painted yellow. And between them, painted black with a gray top, was a mansion so tall and thin, it could have sprouted out of the ground.

The place smelled of dust, and large rocks made up the road. The lawns obviously had not been mowed in months. It had rained recently; the ground was wet and slippery. But at this moment the sun shined. Mario looked around to admire the oddity of the place when he suddenly realized something was wrong. Goomessa and Koopetto were not present.

"Guys?" he called. No one answered.

Maybe they had gone to the Dofter's already. So he made his way to the mansion, having to jump over a few vines that had grown from the untended grass. Broken steps led to the black mansion doors that were almost twice as tall as Mario.

He knocked carefully on the doors, afraid they might crumble at his feet. When nobody answered, he knocked again, more loudly this time. He jumped back when he realized the doors were opening by themselves. After staring at the doors for a moment, he remembered weird things happened to him all the time, so why should he worry?

He couldn't see inside; the lights weren't on. But from inside, someone called, "Who's there?"

Mario recognized the voice as Koopetto's. "Yeah, it's me. Why did you guys leave the entrance?" he asked as he walked inside.

"Cause it's cold outside. Anymore questions?" Goomessa replied sorely.

"Yes," Mario said gently. "Um…where's the light switch?"

"Whaddya think we're doing?" Koopetto answered, but Mario could tell he was joking. _At least one of you doesn't wish I would leave, _Mario thought dejectedly. "Well, let me help," he told them.

The three searched in the dark for another couple of minutes before the lights suddenly came on by themselves. "Okay, this is getting creepy," Mario commented, blinking to adjust his eyes.

"Well, we weren't expecting company," proclaimed a haughty female voice from upstairs. The party looked up at the direction the voice had come from and discovered it was a Toad who had spoken. Her mushroom spots were such a light shade of pink they were nearly invisible. She sported a red blouse with white polka dots and gray slacks. She looked bored and irritated.

"Clairie? What's wrong?" another voice called. It sounded very refined and proper. Clairie turned to her left and waved.

"Well, Miss Regali," she said as another Toad with Kelly green mushroom spots, auburn pigtails, and a navy blue robe on walked in the room from down a hall, "these people entered you house, and I don't remember them being invited.

Regali T. Dofter looked down at the party and ran down a flight of pearl spiral stairs to reach them. "Mario, darling! I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Do I know you?" Mario whispered when she was right in front of him.

Regali hugged Mario and whispered into his ear, "No, but pretend you do."

"Okay…Regali! I didn't recognize you! You got taller!"

"Oh, thanks!"

Goomessa and Koopetto stared at the two in hopeless confusion.

"Mario, I think I should take you to meet my new husband," Regali announced. "Clairie, take us there, won't you?"

"Sure…" Clairie said uncertainly. Then she began to lead all four of them back up the stairs.

There were two halls leading off to sides of the main room. But Clairie took them into a set of French-style doors in the middle of the upper foyer. Inside the doors was a large room decorated very ornately. It was a bit too fancy for Mario's tastes, however. "It looks…great," he tried to sound sincere, but realized he hadn't done a good job when Regali flashed him a warning glance.

"Anyway," she said as she walked forward, "Acuie! Where are you?"

Acuie T. walked in from an open doorway with two tall glasses in his hands filled with what looked some kind of cider. His faintly gray-colored-nearly white like Clairie's-mushroom spots and chestnut colored robe, along with his pokerfaced expression made him look a lot like an eagle. "Regali, who are these people?" he asked, setting the drinks down.

"Well, Acuie dear, this is Mario, I've told you about him lots of times, right?" Regali answered, accentuating the last word.

Acuie seemed to understand. "Yes, of course, I've heard all about you, Mario." He looked at Mario as he spoke. But even though his face pierced Mario's skull, it remained nearly expressionless.

Mario didn't know what he was supposed to say, so he just nodded.

"And these are Mario's little friends right here. I think…" Regali added, putting a hand on each of Mario's partners' shoulders and flashing Mario a pleading look. Mario nodded quickly.

"Great. And what are your names?" she asked.

Koopetto looked up at her and grinned nervously. "I'm Koopetto," he said quietly, not sure if he should actually speak.

"And I'm Goomessa," Goomessa looked as worried as the partner she followed, but made sure not to show it in her voice.

"Well, it's nice to meet you both," Regali assured them. "Sit down, why don't you?" she asked the three of them. "And Clairie, go bake us some apple tarts?"

Clairie nodded and left for the kitchen.

Regali leaned forward, looking suddenly serious. "So…Mario, you're great at saving people, right?"

"Uh, sure," Mario replied.

"Because it appears fate has smiled upon us," Acuie stood up as he spoke. "Let us tell you a story."

"This place was supposed to have been built like a hundred years ago," Regali put an elbow on the arm of her chair and rested her chin in her open hand. "And they say that the first guy to live here-what was his name? Was it-"

"Casillian Dofter," Goomessa and Mario finished for her, casting different glances at each other, and then looking back at Regali.

"Yes, that's the one," Regali nodded absentmindedly. "So we have a favor to ask of you guys," she continued when she had stopped staring into outer space.

"See, this place is actually a remodel. It used to be a bit different than this, and a few rooms were moved around or demolished. The room that was Casillian's was one of them. And it's rumored that he haunts this place, trying to find his own room. See, it's supposed to be that if a ghost has finished his or her business in the mortal world, then they have to find their place of sleep, because that's the only way they can enter the spirit world. But since Casillian can't really find his room, rumors say that he haunts us. We try to tell people it's not true, but no one believes us.

"But recently, since, I don't know, two weeks ago, we've been hearing weird things, and things get broken for no reason. They just shatter all of a sudden. And sometimes we'll walk down the hall and it'll suddenly get all cold. We're starting to think the rumors are true.

"But now that we've changed our minds, people are scared of us. It's like they're scared we might know something they don't." Regali shook her head as she finished speaking.

"What was the thing you wanted to ask us?" Koopetto asked.

"Oh, right," Regali answered first, nodded her head slightly. "We were wondering-"

"-if we would get rid of your house ghost for you," Mario finished her sentence for her. Regali nodded again gratefully.

"They can probably find him for real in the little cave down in the basement, don't you think, Regali?" Acuie pointed out.

"Oh yes, you're right!" Regali replied excitedly. "See, in the basement-it's right below this room-there's this little hole in the wall. We're not really sure how far it goes, but if it does go very far, it could very well be where you would find Casillian.

"Oh, but there's only one problem…I was so excited I forgot," she hung her head. "I don't know of any way for you to get inside there…It's rather small, definitely not wide enough for a person to fit through."

"There's that thing in the box," Acuie said to her.

"Oh yeah, the thing! Acuie, you're a genius!"

"Okay, what's the thing?" Mario broke in.

"It's this neat little black chest up in the attic that's supposed to be able to shrink you down to a fraction of your current height," Acuie explained.

"The thing is, we have no idea how to open the chest," Regali frowned and turned her head the other direction.

"It's always the negative with you, isn't it?" Goomessa commented, irritated.

"Goomessa, I think she's just frustrated," Mario gently chided her. Then speaking to Regali, he continued. "So, let me say it again. It's a black chest that holds a power-up that you can't open?"

Acuie and Regali told him he was correct.

"Oh boy," Mario thought aloud. "I think I know what to do."

"But getting to the attic is murder," Regali said sadly. "It's difficult enough to find it, but in the upper floors, some not-so-nice creatures have made their home. It's bad."

"No worries," Mario replied. "Right, guys?"

"Yeah, right," Koopetto answered energetically.

"Yeah…right," Goomessa answered uncertainly.

"Could you show us where the stairs are?" Mario asked, not unkindly.

"Not before you enjoy yourself an apple tart," said Clairie, appearing out of the kitchen at just that moment. "Here you are." She set the tray down at the coffee table.

"Oh, and also, Clairie-"

"I'll get the muffins out of the oven in just a sec," Clairie interrupted.

And she left again.

"Am I really that predictable?" Regali asked the others, reaching for a tart.

Her friends turned their heads and ate their own tarts to avoid answering.

"Seriously?!"

"Seriously," Mario answered through a mouthful of tart. "And one question, Goomessa, how do you hold the tart without hands?"

"That would be a secret," Goomessa winked.

"Do you forgive me?" Mario asked.

"Oh, come here, you," Goomessa smirked and jumped into Mario's arms.

* * *

**Hope you like it so far! What do you think? Tell me by clicking on the magic green button! Have a good day!**


	11. Dofters and Dragons: Part VI

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Sorry it's been so long since my last update, school started last week, which equals slow updating. You are reading my original story, Legend of the Clouds: Chapter One: Part Six. Well, actually, you're not, you will be soon, but what the heck ever. DISCLAIMER TIME. I don't own the Mario series (but I wish I did). Jojo the Gigantic Talking Baby does…yeah, no he doesn't. The only things I do own are all of my original characters; hopefully you remember who they are. So don't steal them. They're mine. **_**But,**_** if you can cast your laziness aside and ask to use them (which you can do by clicking on the magic green button (I know that gag is probably getting really annoying by now)), then I'll most likely say yes. Are we on the same page? Cool beans.**

* * *

"It's up here somewhere," Clairie told the party, shuffling around on the 8th-or it could have been the eighth; Mario was too tired to remember-floor. "Miss Regali is right; I do need to clean this place more often. It's dustier than the air outisde when we had that giant sandstorm!"

"No kidding," Goomessa muttered. "This is sick and now so am I."

"There's the photo of Tarin, so it somewhere close here," Clairie said to herself.

"Are you sure it's in this hall? Cause there sure are a lot of other hallways up here," Mario pointed out.

"Oh, yes, definitely this one," Clairie called back. "I think it's this grate up here…yeah, that's it!" And she pushed the said grating upwards and forward. "I think there's a spring in Dickory's room over there," she continued, walking into a different room and returning with the rather large spring, on which side 'Dickory' was engraved.

"Dickory Dofter loved this," Clairie told them. "The books say he always wanted one of these. Not sure why."

"Why don't you ever just take the chest down from the attic?" Koopetto spoke up for the first time in a while.

"Because it won't move," Clairie answered, hopeless for an explanation. "We're not sure why, but it's just stuck to the floor. Even some of our strongest movers couldn't push it out."

"Oh," was all Koopetto said in response.

"If I put it right…here, you can get into the attic," Clairie nodded to herself when the spring was in place. "I hope it still works…" she added quietly.

"You _hope_?" Goomessa repeated.

"Well, yes, it's rather old, and it hasn't been used in a while," Clairie answered. "But you shouldn't have a problem. Look, I'll go first, if it makes you happy."

And she jumped on the top of the spring and was bounced exactly the ten feet needed to get her into the attic.

"Wow," Koopetto clapped as he spoke.

"Sweet!" Goomessa nodded, impressed.

"Like corn syrup!" Clairie called down. "Now jump on!"

Goomessa jumped next, and Koopetto made the leap after her, leaving Mario to make the final rise.

But before he could, something grabbed him by the arm. He turned around and saw a creature that made his eyes bug out.

It was tall and slender, and it floated a few inches off the ground. Though not transparent, it had ghost-like holes for eyes, which shone yellow and bright, piercing Mario's skull. It wasn't until he ripped its hand off that he realized it emanated a frothy green ooze, which seeped through his skin and left a hideous mark where the ghost had gripped him.

"Mario!" Goomessa screamed and jumped down the grate hole, followed closely by Koopetto.

"Oh gosh are you okay?" she asked, terrified.

"Dunno," Mario replied, his voice cracking not with fear, but with rage. "What is that thing, anyway?"

"It's a Wisper!" Koopetto answered the question before Goomessa, who shot him a surprised look. "How did you know that?" she asked him.

"We're taught in school to stay away from those things," he answered as he crawled into his shell and threw himself at the Wisper.

"Its maximum HP is 8, its attack is 2, and defense is 0. But it says here it's dangerous to attack it directly cause of it's…poisonous ooze."

Mario stared again at his arm, whiting in the face and searched through his pockets. "Tell me we have a Tasty Tonic some-Goomessa!" he cut himself off as the Goombette was smacked in the face by the ghost.

"I'm fine," she told him, getting back up and waving him away. "Fix your arm."

"Okay." Mario searched his pockets again and found what he was looking for. Drinking the Tonic, gagging at the taste, and pulling out his hammer, he was ready to fight. Running up to the Wisper, he gave it a hit.

Koopetto hit the monster again with his shell, and the Wisper reared back with its mouth open in a nasty grin.

"What's it doing, Goomessa?" Mario turned to face his comrade, who narrowed her eyebrows, and came up with only three words as she turned back towards Mario with a scared expression. "Poison gas! Duck!"

So they did, but Koopetto was too tall to be skimmed over by the gas. Shaking his head to try and clear it as Mario hit the Wisper a final time with his hammer, he decided he was okay.

"How do you feel, Koopetto?" Mario asked him worriedly.

"I think I'm fine," he answered.

"Good," Mario nodded and the party walked back to the spring. When the three of them had bounced back up to the attic, they saw Clairie staring, amazed, at them.

"I can't believe you could actually do that!" she gawked. "It usually takes us two fire extinguishers and a box of matches to get rid of one of those things!"

"Well, I've had a lot of experience with creepy monsters that sneak up on me with scary faces," Mario answered.

"But seriously!" Clairie squealed. "That was just…whoa."

"Thanks," Mario folded his arms as he peered around the room and asked politely, "Where is the chest anyway?"

"Right over here," Clairie replied, indicating a box in the middle of the room that was as tall as Mario. It was slightly curved in the middle but otherwise rather plain. Mario sighed and walked up to it.

"Anybody home?" he said. Clairie narrowed her eyes doubtfully, as though she doubted talking to the chest would help. "Does he know what he's doing?" she whispered to Goomessa.

"I'm not sure what he's doing either," Goomessa answered," but he's Mario, so he probably does."

To Clairie great shock, it worked. The chest rumbled, and spoke. "What? Did someone say something?"

"Yeah, that would be me," Mario answered. "And don't try the whole 'legendary hero' thing on me, I've heard it four times before."

"Darn…" the chest said quietly. "I suppose you've seen us before then?"

"That's what 'four times before' means," Mario replied, irritated.

"Killjoy," the chest judged sourly.

"Maybe so, but could we just get this over with? It smells like rotten eggs up here," Mario said as he looked around and gulped.

"Well, first you have to find the black key, _remember_?" the chest snapped with a touch of mocking ignorance on the last word.

"Right," Mario answered and starting searching the room for the black key that was required to open the chest. "Can you look around with me, guys?"

The others agreed and searched the room with him. Mario found a few objects a few feet it front of him that resembled the key he was looking for, which turned out to be wilted flowers that crumbled in his hand. Another contestant in the corner across from the grate hole, when inspected, proved to be a large pen. "This is annoying," he said to himself.

"I got-I don't got it…" Koopetto cut himself off, showing off a long black tube of what looked like lip gloss. Scratching his head, he dropped the tube. "Is there even a light switch in here?" he asked, talking towards what he thought was Clairie's general direction.

"Not exactly," Clairie answered from behind him, pulling out a golden candle and lighting it, then passing one to each of the others with the lighter.

When Mario lit his candle and once more adjusted his eyes to the light, he gave the room around him a quick glance and was immediately embarrassed. He was standing on the key. Considering the fragility of everything else in the room, he was briefly surprised it was in one piece. "Found it," he said quietly.

"Oh, good job, Mario," Clairie praised him. "Now, since apparently you know how that chest is supposed to work, do…whatever."

Mario walked back over to the chest and shoved the key in the lock. "Here's your key, now curse me with your curse that doesn't hurt so I can get into the cave thingy and find what's-his-bucket Dofter."

"Well," the chest said slowly, "you've got this whole production all planned out, haven't you?"

"Yes, I do," Mario replied impatiently.

"Can I still do the evil curse thing?"

Mario sagged his shoulders. "Yeah, what the heck."

He covered his ears to brace for the annoying squeal that was going to come from the chest.

"WHEE HEE HEE HEE! Fools!" it screamed as the room spontaneously turned purple and a yellow mouth with eyes forming a wicked grin sprung from inside the vessel.

Putting two fingers to his forehead, Mario stepped forward, ready to be 'cursed'.

"Prepare to be infested with the horrifying power of wood! You will be morphed into a block of wood, and a cannon that will shoot your body into the sky will curse you! You will look simply pathetic!"

Mario couldn't help the amused look on his face. This hardly qualified even to be a chest curse. Luckily, as the curses were wont to do, it would help him get into the lair of the boss enemy. It did sound odd though. Hopefully it wasn't painful.

He received no more time to think about it, however, as the face opened its mouth wide and chanted the same strange spell the chests always did to curse him. "_Oogly-googly-boo!_"

An uncomfortable feeling washed over Mario, but was gone quickly.

"Do you understand what has happened to you?" the chest face bellowed.

"Yeah, sure," Mario replied tiredly.

"Oh, seriously, would it kill you to play along? Really?" The chest frowned.

"Hey, its okay," Mario answered consolingly. "You helped me and I helped you…and now I can get into the cave thingy, and you can roam the world and do whatever-" he thought for a moment, "-chest face things to when they have no chest to be inside."

"Thanks, man," the chest said gratefully as it disappeared into midair and turned the room to its correct colors.

"Well, that was spooky," Clairie spoke after a few moments. "Really weird."

"You get used to it," Mario answered. "Anyway, since I'm now apparently cursed, I can make it into the cave. Would you show me the way?"

"Yes, of course," Clairie replied. "We can take the elevator."

Everyone else's jaw dropped. "There's an _elevator?_" Goomessa demanded.

"Yeah, there is," Clairie answered nonchalantly. "But it only works from here."

Goomessa's eyes twitched. "Does it?"

"Well, like I told you, this place is really old, so lots of things on the upper floors are broken, and dirty, and dusty. I guess someone should have called the fix-it people."

"And whose fault is that?" Goomessa breathed.

* * *

**So? What did you think? Clairie's a bit of a ditz sometimes, and really smart other times. At least, that's what I wanted her to look like. I modeled her off of my friend who shall remain nameless lest she wake tomorrow with a knife in her stomach…**

**I hope your still enjoying the story! It'll finally be time for Mario and the gang to move on into the cave next chapter, so be patient!**

**Have a nice day!**


	12. Dofters and Dragons: Part VII

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here you are, reading my original story, The Legend of the Clouds. This here would be Chapter One: Part Seven. I don't own the Mario series. That is not my purpose in life. The only things I do own are all of my original characters; you know who they are. I hope. So please don't steal them. But you ask me if you can use them, then I'll most likely say yes. Get it? Good.**

* * *

"And I was thinking nothing was worse than the attic," Goomessa whispered as she gazed around the basement. Mud and mildew covered every object in the room. It was a sight to see.

"Yeah, well…" Clairie didn't finish the sentence. Beginning anew with a fresh voice, she said, "The hole in the wall should be somewhere. It's just a little hard to find."

"Where's the light-I should probably stop asking that, shouldn't I?" Mario cut himself off and rolled his eyes.

"Possibly," Clairie answered, but it was clear she was only half listening. "Where is it?" she continued, talking to herself. "Oh! Here's the switch."

"A switch?" Mario repeated. "There's a switch?"

"Yes," Clairie replied. "It turns the wall around to reveal the entrance to the cave." And then she advanced towards a corner where the said switch resided. It was rather small and red. It was shaped like a cone and had a white exclamation point in the middle.

But Mario recoiled in horror as a long series of events transpired in a few seconds. A large ghastly figure in forest-colored clothes with ooze the same shade dripping from it appeared from nowhere in midair and landed with a thud on the floor next to Clairie. The floor shook and cracked, then fell apart altogether. Clairie screamed as the ground below her fell away, revealing a black void (Mario couldn't figure out why there was a black void there but was too terrified to care).

Grabbing onto the edge of the floor that was not broken, Clairie held on for her dear life. "Help me!" she screamed again. Mario ran to her side, fell to his stomach and gripped on her hands. Yanking as hard as he could, he felt hands grip his own feet and turned his head to see Koopetto close his eyes in concentration.

With his help, Mario pulled Clairie out of the void and onto solid ground. "Are you okay?" he asked once she had steadied herself.

"Yeah, fine," she replied, dazed. "I'm just wondering how we're going to hit that switch from all the way over here."

Koopetto's eyes lit up, and he began jumping up and down, thrusting his hand in the air.

"Uh, Koopetto, I guess you might tell us what you think before your arm falls off," Mario joked and folded his arms expectantly.

"I could get in my shell and throw myself over the space and into the switch," Koopetto answered enthusiastically, "Then we could get into the cave."

Mario pointed in his direction while looking at the ceiling in thought. "That," he said, "is a novelty idea. Like Casillian meant for it to happen," he added to himself.

So Koopetto retracted his limbs and head into his bright purple shell-_how the heck do they _do _that?_ Mario thought-and began to spin around inside it. When he had reached an incredibly high speed, he stopped spinning while facing the switch. Centrifugal force pushed him straight over the void and set his course for the switch. After he hit it, he rebounded off the side and back over to the rest of the gang.

"Impressive!" Goomessa commented brightly.

"Hey, look!" Clairie pointed towards a portion of the wall that seemed to undergo a strange transformation. It rumbled, and then began to move. Dust flew everywhere and the scratch of rock against wood could be heard as the wall flipped itself one hundred eighty degrees.

The portion of wall that had replaced the old one was made of planks of ash wood, nailed to the rock side of the section with rusted nails. There was a small indent in the middle of the wood, in the middle of which the party could see an even smaller hole.

"I don't see that Mario will be able to fit through that," Goomessa said, frustrated.

"Hey, don't worry," Mario told her. "The so-called curses always work to fit every situation. Grab my hands," he remembered to tell them. It was the only for them to come with him.

Mario knew what he had to do to make the curse work. Closing his eyes and concentrating on the curse, Mario felt himself change in form. He shrank and his limbs contracted into his body. _Creepy_, he thought, but said nothing. He felt the rest of him shrink until he was hardly able to see in front of him or move. He heard a cannon rise spontaneously from the floor behind him and bend down to swallow him whole.

It apparently already had gunpowder inside, for the explosion happened not long after Mario was in the cannon. He flew directly at the hole in the wall and braced himself for impact. But as he entered the cave, he felt himself unfold. _I guess it only works for a couple of seconds, _he decided as he landed safely on the ground and his partners quit holding his hands. He then opened his eyes and got his first look at Dofter Cave.

It was quite an unbecoming room; a less-than-thin layer of dust coated every surface, making the entire floor gray. Mario took one step and sent dust and grime flying everywhere. The walls looked like they used to be blue-green, but were now a mixture of brown and yellow. "Wow, Casillian is sure taking the toll of not having a cleaning servant," he observed.

"No kidding," Goomessa looked around the room as she spoke. "This place is a mess!"

"The place is furnished, though," Koopetto pointed out, "sort of."

It was true. A chair of leaves lay to the right side of the room, across from which was a sofa made of twigs. A light fixture made of tree sap was stationed at the top of the room, but it contained no light. "I guess Casillian is a builder," Goomessa said quietly.

"I suppose," Mario agreed, gazing around the cave looking for a door of some sort. He was pleased to see a red arch in the wall at the end of the room. "Let's go in there so we can find Casillian and get out of here as fast as we can," he told his partners, pointing to the archway. "This room gives me the creeps-I don't know," he added when Goomessa gave him a questioning look.

The party made their way to the arch and looked inside. The next section of the cave was not house-esque as the last had been; it was rather as you'd expect a cave to look like. Rock made up the walls, and the ground was made of sand and gravel.

"Well, I guess Casillian got bored of making his cave look pretty." Goomessa shrugged as she spoke.

Then Mario remembered-ghosts weren't supposed to be able to get a hold of solid objects. He had once received a letter from Ghost T., a ghost Toad living on a famous train. In the letter he had explained that he was required to possess the conductor to write his letter, being unable to hold the pen himself.

So either Casillian had found this place furnished the way it was after he died, or he dug out this cave while still alive and only got one room finished before his death. He wasn't sure how to explain this, so he kept quiet.

But just as he decided to say nothing, Goomessa turned to him and asked, "What do you think, Mario?" He wasn't sure what to say.

"Well…I think you're right," he lied. "Doing all this alone would be really…irritating."

"What's wrong, Mario?" she asked confusedly.

"Nothing," Mario lied again.

Technically, however, nothing was really wrong, so he could have been saying the truth. He was simply thinking about the ghost that they would have to meet. He decided it must be difficult to be a ghost. Having to stay in one place forever; never having friends, unless they were to become ghosts also; always being misunderstood by mortals; it must be hard. If his first theory on the cave was the correct one, then maybe Casillian had lived here ever since he died to avoid becoming emotional or angry with the living residents.

When he came back out of his thoughts, he discovered Goomessa and Koopetto were already searching the room for an exit to another. He began looking around with them. "Hey, guys, look here!" Koopetto called presently.

Mario and Goomessa walked over to where Koopetto stood next to another archway. This one, however, had a blockade of stalagmites covering just enough of it to prevent any of the party members from getting through. Around the middle was what looked like a sort of lock on a chain. "It looks like we might have to find a key or something," Koopetto reported, sounding embarrassed as though he had not seen the lock until just now.

Mario turned around to look for a key and saw Goomessa was doing a little dance and humming a tune with her eyes closed.

"What…are you doing?" he asked cautiously. He believed that with a funny person like Goomessa, something might bend in her brain any minute.

"Oh, was I dancing? That's just a song I like," she replied. "'Wake up America,'" she added after a moment.

"Really? I don't know it," Mario answered casually.

"Okay, have you been in a coma for the last three years?" Goomessa looked shocked. "Snow T. has been on the Top 10 list of the music charts since she started singing!"

"Well, having to save a princess from a far off country from some excruciating misery every other day can make a person not know every single song on the records," Mario explained sarcastically.

Goomessa opened her mouth to argue, but then studied her shoes. "I kinda forgot about that," she said.

"That's okay. Now let's try and find a key."

Unfortunately, finding keys didn't work quite as easily as chest curses did. After about five minutes of searching, Goomessa stumbled over a tree root and looked angrily up at it. Getting up, she looked up at the tree whose root it was and saw the top was sliced entirely away.

"Hey, guys! Casillian cut off the leaves and branches of this tree!"

"Probably to make his chair and couch," Koopetto pointed out. Following Goomessa's gaze, he looked up at the tree and saw a gleaming green object on top of it. "Hey, I think that's the key!"

Mario was the last one to see the key. "But how can we get it?" he wondered out loud.

His partners looked at him, and he could tell they were thinking the same thing he was. Grabbing his partners' arms, he concentrated once more on the 'curse' placed upon him about an hour ago. He and his friends folded back into block from. The cannon came out of the ground, and they were shot skyward into the key. Luckily he unfolded right on top of the tree stump. After pocketing the key and jumping off the tree, he made his way to the locked doorway.

Mario inserted the key into the lock and turned. The lock fell off immediately. He got out his hammer and struck the stalagmite in the middle. It cracked, then shattered after a moment. He rid the doorway of the rest of the protrusions in the manner. Soon, they were all gone, and they party could advance into the next room.

It was the only room in the cave so far which was made of metal and tile-the way Mario usually expected a first dungeon to appear. It had no windows or ventilation, and it quickly became hot and uncomfortable. There was a large pool in the middle of the floor. The room was very tall. The ceiling was actually only twenty feet above them, but there was a large hole in the middle through which stairs continued to rise at least fifteen more yards. The staircase began across the room from the gang, and next to it was a set of steel doors.

"Maybe we should go inside that door," Goomessa told the other two. "There might be some kind of item in there."

_Probably one that we can use to fight Casillian, _Mario thought.

While they walked to the doors, Mario thought over the boss. The first time he had fought a first boss, it was a giant Bowser cardboard figure controlled by a quartet of rather idiotic overglorified Koopas for whom the name of each was the color of the bandana he wore-stupid. The second first fight was against a cowardly dragon that was allergic to crickets tried to bribe him when she felt weak-stupid. But this one was different. This boss was a ghost, and an actually scary ghost at that. This boss was less evil than simply disturbing. As he had thought fifteen minutes ago, ghosts must be sad most of the time. So maybe Casillian had a reason to be malevolent. Not necessarily a right, but a reason.

The party shortly arrived at the doors, but they were difficult to open. Decades of disuse had probably stuck the doors to their spots. With his partners' help, he pushed the doors in. After helping Goomessa back up, he turned around to see the room.

It was black all around. Four chests lined the wall furthest from the party. _Hopefully one of them can help us fight a ghost,_ Mario thought. "Let's open these chests," Mario told Goomessa and Koopetto. The other two nodded agreement, and the gang set to lifting the lids.

Mario found a Super Shroom in the far left chest and another Tasty Tonic in the one to the right of that. "I found another key," Koopetto reported, holding it out for the others to admire its green shimmer.

"And I found…a flashlight?" Goomessa looked confused as she held out the nearly-broken illuminator for all to see.

She looked even more baffled when Mario cheered, "That's perfect!"

"Huh?"

"We take the flashlight and shine it at Casillian," Mario explained. "Ghosts are weakened by the light, and if I'm right, it should make him solid and we should be able to hit him."

Goomessa nodded understandingly. "I get it."

"Good," Mario replied. "Now we just have to get up those stairs."

So the party exited and began to climb. But when the reached the top of the first flight, they were disappointed to find that the next part of the floor had been broken away. Looking down into the hole made by the lack of ground, they could see that the broken tiles lay at the bottom of the pool.

Koopetto looked around for a switch to shoot himself at, while Goomessa sat down and thought of possible ways to make a new bridge. Mario put his chin in his hands and pondered it as well.

"I bet," Koopetto began after a minute, and then paused. After a moment of thinking, he finished, "that it has something to do with that big light up there on the string."

Mario and Goomessa looked up at where was pointing and saw the light he was talking about. It hung from a long rope and was tied to a small bump in the ceiling. Mario did the first thing that came to his mind- he jumped towards the light. "Mario!" Goomessa shrieked, but he headed for the light anyway and grabbed hold of it. He pulled it down, and the lump in the ceiling went down with it. A blue switch rose up out of the ground at the other side of the gap, and Koopetto smiled wide.

"Hey, Koopetto, could you hit that quick?" Mario called down. "This thing is slippery!"

Koopetto did as he was told, giving the switch a smart whack with his shell. He then turned around and watched in amazement as a slab of wood slid out of the wall of the portion of the wall with no floor. Mario slackened his grip and fell onto the new bridge. Sighing in relief, he jumped across the now much smaller gap to meet Koopetto, followed by Goomessa. He then looked back over at the next flight of stairs and commented, "I really hope we don't have to do that again."

He was again relieved to find the stairs were all intact, and the party shortly made it up the third flight of stairs to find they were walking outside.

"This is weird," Goomessa declared. "I don't remember seeing a tower when I looked at the Dofter Palace from outside."

"Well, we can't run into trouble now-except for Casillian," Koopetto added.

The party walked up five more flights of stairs in anticipating silence. At the top of the tower lay a final set of steel doors. These were painted red, although it was clearly peeling away. Mario broke away the lock in the middle of the door with the key Koopetto had found and entered with his partners.

The room was gold-and-silver-striped. An ornate red chair in the middle suggested someone had been in a position of royalty before this time.

"You know, this cave gets weirder and weirder," Goomessa said nervously, "and I think we've hit maximum weird."

"Who goes there?" called a voice from the shadows. It echoed through the room.

"Uh…I'm Mario," Mario called back.

A figure floated out of a shadow, the same forest colored one that had nearly killed Clairie.

"He must be Casillian," Goomessa whispered, but the figure heard her.

"Who?" he demanded.

"Casillian," Goomessa replied more confidently.

He looked down at the ground. "I have not used that name in centuries. In life, I was indeed Casillian Dofter."

"And now?" Koopetto asked.

When Casillian answered, his voice had changed from a curious growl to an angry bellow. "I am Caslio, King of Ghosts! Fear me, I am your worst nightmare!"

He flew right in Mario's face, then back to his original position. Drawing out two sabers, he added, "You will be punished for your foolishness and impertinence!"

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**Casillian has bi-polar disorder! Ooh! No offense to bi-polar people! Hope you enjoyed the story!**


	13. Dofters and Dragons: Part VIII

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! You have just stumbled into the magical (not really) world of my original story, The Legend of the Clouds, Chapter One: Part Eight. And now let me find the disclaimer papers for so I don't get sued. Aha, here they are. I don't own the Mario series. I have other ways to spend my day (although it would be so cool if I did own it). The only things I do own in this story are all of my original characters; I seriously hope you remember who they are. Cause I'm not gonna list them. I beg of you not to steal them because IT'S MEAN. But you ask me if you can use them, and you remembered to put your name on your magic green button review, then I'll most likely say yes.**

**By the way, I said at the end of last chapter that Casillian had bi-polar disorder. I honestly meant no offense towards bi-polar people. I was pressed for time and wrote the first thing that came to my mind. If any of you so wish, I can change it.**

**And one last thing, nobody's actually given me any ideas for different names for the spirit guardians, so I have a new policy: If someone gives me a new name for a guardian before we meet the guardian following him or her, then I'll consider. (For example, if I get a suggestion for the Chapter 3 guardian **_**before**_** we find the Chapter 4 guardian, I'll think.) If not, then I'm going with my own name. Check out part chapter six to see my names for them.**

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Mario turned immediately to Goomessa. "Tell me what you can," he ordered.

Goomessa nodded. "Well, you know who he is. Casillian-or, Caslio, I guess-is hard to give a report on. There isn't a whole heck of a lot I know about this guy other than what Regali told us. Sorry…

"I bet he means business with those swords though, and the goo coming off of him is probably gonna hurt, just like the Wispers'. I think that pirate hat is pretty cool, you know? But the rest of him is kinda ugly…" She shrugged.

"So how does he hold the sabers?" Mario asked.

"What do you mean?"

Mario remembered and now regretted that he hadn't told his partners of his revelation of ghosts being unable to hold solid things.

Maybe they were ghost sabers.

Caslio ran at Mario with a sword and caught him squarely in the jaw, then flew to the other side of the room. Clutching his cheek, Mario followed him. He whipped out the flashlight they had found before and shone it in front of him.

Caslio had already moved out of the line of light. Mario ran alongside him as he made his way in midair towards Koopetto, who was turned the other direction.

"Koopetto!" Goomessa squealed. The Koopa turned around and saw the boss about to drive a sword through his brain. Mario flung the flashlight at Caslio, who suddenly flew away from Koopetto to the other side of the room again.

"Mario, how did you do that?" Koopetto asked, picking up the light and throwing it back to Mario.

"I don't know. Fast little creep, isn't he?" Mario replied.

Caslio spun around to face the party. "Not fast," he told them, "just better."

"Better! At what?" Goomessa sneered.

"Oh, you could write a book-a lot of books-on things ghosts are better at than mortals," Caslio retorted. "We're superior in every way. So don't push your luck, kids; I'll push your luck faster!

"I…" Caslio paused for supposed dramatic effect, "can read your minds. I know exactly what you're doing and what you're going to do! Give it up!"

"This is cheap!" Koopetto shouted. "How are we supposed to do anything to this guy if he can dodge anything we do?"

"I don't know…" Mario thought as he spoke. It's not like one of them could distract Caslio from another flashing the light on him by doing something stupid; he would know they were doing it to take his attention away from the holder of the light. They couldn't simply leave their minds blank either, for it might be rather difficult to thrust a flashlight in someone's face without thinking of what one was going to do first.

"I've got it!" Goomessa whispered loudly. "Caslio won't read our minds unless he wants to. So one of us starts an argument with him to make him forget we're fighting. Caslio may know what we're thinking if we act weird, but he won't pay much attention to the fight if he has a reason to run his mouth. I'll talk, Koopetto, you take the light, and Mario, cover for me if Mr. Better-Than-Anyone-Alive tries to pin a saber through my head. Now let's go!"

Koopetto ran underneath Caslio towards the chair, and Caslio started towards him. Goomessa called from the other side of the room, "Hey, Caslio! If you're so much better than us, how come you're the one who got himself killed?"

Caslio whipped around to face her with a fire in his eyes. "I didn't get myself killed on purpose, he stabbed me in the-how do you know I was killed?"

"Cause I know things," Goomessa answered smugly.

"Insolence personified! You will pay double for your atrocious behavior! I am the king of ghosts! So you will treat me with-"

"Koopetto, now!"

Koopetto shone the light in front of him at Caslio, who had no time to react. The king fell to the floor, no longer transparent, and shortly stood up.

"What have you done!" he shouted.

"You know," Mario said as he ran up to Caslio and grabbed him by the neck, "for a worst nightnmare, you're not all that scary." And he proceeded to wail on him with his hammer.

"Get off of me!" Caslio hollered. It echoed through the room. Caslio struggled free of Mario's grip and ran to the other side of the room. _He likes doing that, doesn't he?_ Mario thought.

But his eyes widened when Caslio turned on his heel and threw his sabers out in front of him. They flew on a straight path towards Mario. Before Mario could run, they made their target and pinned him to the wall by his collar and right sleeve. _Dang, those are strong swords,_ he thought after trying to rip them out of the wall.

"Aren't they?" Caslio grinned as he walked over to Mario. "Face it, boy, you can't defeat me. I'm dead. I cannot die again."

"You're not dead," Mario spat. "You're not even real."

Goomessa and Koopetto ran behind Caslio, prepared to hit him in the back somehow. He knew their intentions however, and with a single slap tossed them across the room. Turning back to Mario, he continued their argument. "That's what you think," he replied.

"Ghosts aren't even supposed to exist," Mario answered hotly.

Caslio laughed, a menacing crow that sent shivers down Mario's spine. "I'm more real than you are," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mario demanded.

Caslio didn't answer, just pulled the swords out of the wall. Mario fell to the floor as Caslio walked towards the middle of the room. "Here," he said expressionlessly, throwing a saber to Mario. "Now we'll see who's truly better."

Mario caught the sword awkwardly and was forced to listen to Caslio's scratchy laugh again.

"What is this going to prove?" he asked. "I don't even know how to fence."

"I knew it. You're afraid to fight me without your precious friends because you know I'll win. Now isn't that right?"

Mario couldn't tell if Caslio was using some kind of jacked up reverse psychology or merely taunting him, but it definitely worked. "I'm not afraid of you," Mario answered.

Caslio narrowed his eyes and Mario did the same. "Fence!" Caslio ordered. The two rushed at each other, swords in front of them. Mario raised his saber and threw it down as they neared each other, but Caslio was prepared. He met Mario's saber with his own, turned sideways to block Mario's from going anywhere else. Mario raised his sword again to stab Caslio, but Caslio was prepared for this too, smacking Mario in the side with his saber.

Only then did Mario remember Caslio knew what he was going to do each time through telepathy. _Stupid telepathy,_ Mario thought.

With his mind off the duel, Mario didn't know to get out of the way when Caslio brought a saber to his face and sent him flying. He managed to catch himself on the floor, but he felt that it was hardly less painful than if he had crashed into the wall. He got up and stared Caslio down. The so-called king stared right back triumphantly.

He had top find some way to get Caslio not to use his saber. That wouldn't be easy; the way Caslio acted, Mario felt he loved his swords more than he loved himself.

If he could take it from him, however…yes, he'd have to do that. He ran back to Caslio and thrust his sword in his face again, expecting the block this time. Right after Caslio blocked the attack, Mario pushed straight down, forcing the saber out of Caslio's hands. Mario swooped down to retrieve it and jumped back as Caslio tried to slap him with the back of his hand.

"How could you-why did that-huh?" Caslio warbled, shocked. Mario ran back to him with his next method of attack all planned out. He sliced the air around Caslio's legs. Caslio jumped up, knowing the attack was coming, but couldn't avoid the other sword when Mario slammed it in his face. Caslio fell to the floor, shaking.

"So who's better now?" Mario smirked as he crossed his arms, making an X with the two swords and placing the indent over Caslio's neck.

"Don't rub it in my face, please," Caslio sounded oddly calm. "I never liked people rubbing it in my face."

For the first time since he had thought about the difficult life-or death-of a ghost, Mario felt sorry for Caslio. He couldn't watch as he yanked his arms apart.

No sound was made. Mario looked back and saw Caslio had simply disappeared. "What in the-" Then he looked up and saw Caslio there, transparent again but with a kind smile on his face. "What are you still doing here?" Mario demanded.

"You were right," Caslio whispered. "Mortals are just as good as ghosts."

"What?"

"Thank you. You've finally let me travel to the world of the dead. I'm not sure what was up with them not letting me go before. I think they wanted me to learn not to be so haughty against mortals. But they opened up the door to the land of the dead for me now, so whatever you did, thank you.

"But before I can go, I should do one more thing…" He raised his arms and closed his eyes. A brilliant flash of light appeared and when it was gone, a cloud was in his hands. It began to whirl around, and Caslio's hat suddenly disappeared. As the cloud spun, it changed shape. As it came to a stop, Mario was confused to find its place had been taken by Caslio's hat.

"Your Cloud Fragment," Caslio released the hat as he spoke. It floated down to Mario.

"The Cloud-this is a hat! What am I-" But Caslio had already faded away for good.

Mario picked up the hat and studied it, dumbfounded. "What _was_ that?" he asked himself. When he looked back up, he was shocked to discover the room was fading away as its owner just had. A crystalline palace-like room, all white with a silver cage in the middle replaced it.

"Whoa," Mario said to himself. It was then that he remembered Goomessa and Koopetto were probably still passed out in the corner. He made his way over there and saw them. He picked up Goomessa and lightly shook her. "Goomessa," he called quietly. Presently she stirred and blinking a few times to adjust her eyes to the bright room. "Where are we? Where did Caslio-"

"Caslio is gone," Mario cut her off solemnly. Putting her down, he walked over to Koopetto's side and nudged him in the shoulder a couple of times. He woke also and gazed around. Mario explained to his partners what had happened.

"So what's that cage over there?" Goomessa asked.

"I…don't know," Mario answered. He beckoned his partners to follow him as he walked over to the cage.

It was empty as far as Mario could tell, but the hat began to glow as he neared it. When he stopped in front of it, the hat floated out of his hands and into an indent in the door to the cage. The cage disappeared, leaving the hat in midair.

Then Mario was even more confused as a bluish wind began to swirl around the hat. When it dissipated, a new figure stood below the hat itself. Mario could not identify what or who it was because it stood with its head back in its hands.

It wore a black shirt and long black skirt, although Mario could see numerous rips and tears in them. Come to think of it, he saw some parts of the person were cut as well. Mario knew he recognized the figure somewhere.

Suddenly, the figure's arms fell to its sides, and it raised its head to look at the party.

Mario found it difficult to believe he hadn't remembered the Koopa guardian he'd met in the Haven of the Spirits. Amber was the name Gillis had told them was hers.

"You're Amber, aren't you?" Goomessa echoed Mario's thoughts.

"I am," Amber answered expressionlessly. "Huh…you look depressed; you're injured; you've torn up your clothes-you remind me of someone. Ah, it'll come to me. First I have to say thank you so much for saving me from that…creep." She shuddered.

"Don't mention it," Mario replied.

Amber smiled and took the hat. "I believe this is yours," she said, handing it to Mario.

"But this is a hat," Mario answered, confused again. "Caslio said this was the Fragment, but I don't get it. Isn't the Cloud of Dreams a cloud?"

"Indeed it is." Amber nodded. "But clouds come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The Cloud of Dreams may not look like a cloud, but it is-or, was-loved and worshipped by the former Plathorans.

"All shapes and sizes…" she repeated. "Just like all living creatures…

"Now hopefully you know what star power is?" she asked.

"Yes I do," Mario replied. "I know it very well, actually." Amber sighed in relief. It must be very annoying to explain something as complex as star power.

"Good. Now that you have the Cloud Fragment, you can use it. You have two things you can do. There's Refund, which will replenish your star power if you happen to be low, and Heal Beam, which-well, I do believe I'd have to call a mental institution if you couldn't figure that one out."

"Um, thanks, Amber," Mario said uncertainly.

"Now, take the Fragment," the Koopa directed. "I'm not sure where you'll find the next one, but I can teleport you to the town where Plathora went for help, got most of its recources, and so on and so forth. It's called Paratonis. That might help you with finding it. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Mario nodded, "but first can you take us to Gillisville? Gillis was really upset that he had to get rid of the Fragments, and I think it would do him good to know we have the first one and we've saved the first guardian."

"Will do," Amber replied, and made a gesture with her arms. The gang disappeared.

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**So what do you think? Thanks for reading! Review and tell me your opinion and all that crap!**


	14. Dofters and Dragons: Part IX

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! This is the ninth part of the first chapter of my original story, The Legend of the Clouds. Isn't that great? So first I'd like to thank you all for actually reading this far. I love you all. Luckily I have a four-day weekend (actually I only have two more days after today, but you know what I mean), so I'll be able to update more often until Wednesday. Maybe I can squeeze in two more parts after this. **_**Anyway…**_**I don't own the Mario series. That is not something that I am allowed to do. The only parts of this story I own are my original characters. And I beg of you not to steal them because it makes That One Guy and me angry. But if you ask my permission to use them in your story, I'll probably say you can. Understand? Good.**

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"You _what?_" Gillis gawked. "You're kidding me. You actually managed to find it?"

Mario took the Fragment that looked oddly like a hat out of his pocket. Mario had been confused when the Fragment turned out to be the headwear of the boss they had fought earlier, Caslio. But the spirit guardian they had saved by defeating him, Amber the Koopa, had told them the Fragments might come in many different forms.

Gillis simply stood shocked at the fact that the gang could actually pull this off. "You guys are amazing," he said quietly.

"And we saved the spirit guardian," Mario replied. He walked out of the house and returned shortly with Amber.

Gillis stared, disbelieving, at Amber. "Y-you saved-you saved the-the-WHOA!" Composing himself, he continued. "It's such an honor to meet you, Ms. Dolevant, Spirit-"

"Seriously," Amber interrupted him, annoyed. "Call me Amber. It'll work out a lot better for everybody."

"As you wish, Amber," Gillis answered, becoming suddenly less excited. "Really, though, you guys are just wonderful."

Goomessa shrugged. Koopetto grinned. Goomessa looked up at Koopetto, then back at Mario. Mario gave an affirmative smile, and Goomessa leaned her head on Koopetto's leg.

"So, Gillis, where do you think we might find the next Fragment?" Mario asked.

"Well," Gillis began thoughtfully. After a moment he continued, "I would say the closest one from here…that would be Lucifer's Isle."

"Lucifer?" Goomessa repeated, alarmed. "Doesn't that mean devil?"

Gillis nodded. "It actually does," he replied. "But don't worry. It's supposed to be a sun-drenched island paradise with many nice people. So getting that Fragment should be a cinch!"

"Where have I heard _that_ before?" Mario whispered to himself.

"Did you say something?" Goomessa asked him. Mario shook his head.

"So, what's the best way to get to Lucifer's Isle?" Goomessa inquired brightly.

"Well, it might-or, you could-well, there's-oh!" Gillis's eyes widened as he said "oh", seeming to have figured out a good strategy.

"RitzelTown," he began. "It's a fancy town that lies due north of here. Lots of nice sorts live there. I think it's the…yes, it is. There's a big music hall in the middle of the city where you can find a pipe that'll take you to the Isle.

"First you'll need to get to Paratonis," Gillis finished.

"Already done," Mario answered. "Amber here says she can transport us there so we can start hunting for the next Fragment."

"Oh, wonderful, wonderful!" Gillis clapped as he spoke. It was so strange the way this Koopa who had seemed to lack any conceivable happiness or confidence when Mario and Goomessa had first met him, now exploded with cheer at the sound of a pin drop. "So, I guess now that you've told me of your success, you might need to get to Paratonis," he continued. "The evil man-"

"His name is Troy, by the way," Mario cut in.

"Troy? Okay, Troy. He's lost the first Fragment to you, but he'll not stop at getting the others."

"Okeydokey," Goomessa walked over to Mario's side, as did Koopetto.

"Take us to Paratonis, Amber," Mario asked.

Amber made the odd motion with her arm again and the party disappeared into thin air.

* * *

Paratonis was, at the very least, crowded. The rather medium-sized town had the population, business, and frankly, the smoke and smog of a metropolis. "Wow," Goomessa spoke first, looking disdainfully around the town.

"I know, right?" Koopetto answered in the exact same tone of voice.

"So, Amber, what do you-where'd you go?" Mario looked around as he cut himself off. Amber seemed to have magically departed in the five seconds since Mario had looked at her last. She had probably disappeared the way she had done just moments before.

"I guess we should find a pipe or train or something that leads to RitzelTown," Goomessa suggested. Mario agreed. It was the best thing they could do to save their throats.

"Maybe it's diamond-studded," Koopetto joked.

The party walked aimlessly, squeezing their way through an endless blockade of citizens shouting and carrying on. Occasionally one of them would stop and get excited over Mario's glorious presence, and just as quickly as he or she had stopped, they would go on with their typically busy lives.

"Well, this is boring," Goomessa tiredly commented after around a half an hour of failed searching for a transportation to RitzelTown. The party asked countless citizens if they knew of a way to get there, all attempts turning up dry for success.

"No kidding," Mario said over his shoulder. "I don't understand how these people live here. It's like it had all the excitement sucked out of it."

"This place makes Gillisville look like it's buzzing with fun." Koopetto brushed dirt off his arms as he spoke.

"When you think of a place called Paratonis, you think it's gonna be cute and a nice place to be in. And this is just so…not…" Goomessa shook her head to try and clear some smoke out from in front of her.

"You think we should try and find a map or something?" Koopetto suggested.

"Yeah, maybe," Mario replied. "Excuse me," he called to an approaching Yoshi, "could you tell me where I might find a map or something like that?"

"Um, yeah," the Yoshi answered and pointed to a large red building twenty yards away to the right of Mario and his friends. "Right over there. Desk on the left should have 'em." Mario could make out "Tourist Center" on the top in blue letters. He turned to thank the Yoshi but he was already gone.

"Well, let's go there," he told his partners. The party did so and entered the black doors. The Yoshi was right; straight to the left of the entrance was a desk with a sign above it saying "Information Desk". Mario and his friends walked over there, and Mario signaled for the lady sitting at it to look up. "What do you need?" she asked wearily.

"I'd like to know if I could have a map of this place," Mario answered.

The lady-Melissa, as her nametag read-handed him a map from a pile of them on a cabinet next to her desk, muttered, "Have a good day" with a not-so-disguised recital in her voice, and then, as if the party had never even talked to her, resumed her paperwork.

"Well, that was…interesting," Goomessa remarked as the three stepped out of the tourist center. "What does the map say?"

"Well…" Mario took some time to look over the map, muttering the names of different places on it as he looked. "Handeo Buffet, ParaBank, hmm…Oh! here it is," he said to his partners, who looked at where he was pointing on the map. In rather small writing next to a pipe on the map was "pipe to RitzelTown".

"And we are…?" Goomessa asked.

Mario studied the map again and found the tourist canter on the map, which was, according to the scale, about three-quarters of a mile from the pipe.

"Three-quarters of a mile?!" Goomessa repeated. "My feet are already falling off!"

"Look," Mario answered gently, "if we walk fast we can get there in only fifteen minutes. We should be okay…and our feet should still be attached to our legs."

"Okay…"

The party walked to the pipe Mario had indicated, stopping every couple of minutes to make sure they were going the right direction. Eventually they found the pipe, which stood on a pedestal between a hardware store and a dentist's office.

"Well, let's head in," Mario said. They did so, and the party was taken instantly to their destination.

* * *

**That's the end for today! I know this one is shorter than some of my previous parts, but I want to get a Peach/Bowser/Troy interlude in before we head into chapter two (which is, by the way, my single most favorite chapter in the entire story). So hope you liked! Review and all that, and have a nice day!**


	15. Dofters and Dragons: Interlude

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! This is the tenth and final part of the first chapter of my original story, The Legend of the Clouds. Don't you feel absolutely blessed now that you know that information? No? Shut up, yes you do (just kidding, seriously). Luckily I have a four-day weekend (actually I only have one more day after today but you get it), so maybe I can squeeze in one more part after this one. DISCLAIMER TIME. I don't own the Mario series. So sad. The only parts of this story I own are my original characters. And I really wish you wouldn't steal them because it's just plain rude. Maybe not illegal, but seriously, why would you feel the need to use my character and deliberately not ask? I promise, asking for permission is going to be a lot easier than begging for forgiveness on this one. Understand? Good.**

* * *

"Little red roses…Christmas tree ornaments…scented candles…plush dolls…

"Such sweet, peaceful things…" A man all dressed in black walked around in his bedroom, naming things as he touched them gently. "Twink!" he called brightly out into the hallway.

Presently, a frowning Star floated into the room. "Yes, sire?" he asked exasperatedly.

"Aren't these such fine, splendid things?"

Twink looked surprised, then pleased. "Why yes, sire, they are splendid things," he answered.

The man looked Twink in the eye and then back at the objects. Twink was almost blown away when the man spoke again, yelling at the top of his voice this time. "BURN THEM ALL!"

Twink frowned again. "I knew nice Troy was too good to be true." Then he picked up the objects by telekinesis. Looking back at Troy, he added, "What about the candles? Won't they-"

"JUST DO AS I SAY!" Troy bellowed. Twink started for the door. As he was floating out, something came to his mind. "By the way, sire-"

"You're still here?!" Troy demanded.

"You know what, yes, I'm still here, what are you gonna do about it?" Twink shouted.

Troy looked utterly shocked that someone would yell at him. After he took a deep breath, he asked, "What did you want to tell me, twerp?" After that, he picked up a ruby and inspected it, waiting for Twink to speak.

"Well," Twink began, "Mario found the first Fragment. The-"

"WHAT?!" Troy wheeled around on one foot and crushed the ruby in his hands. "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?"

"He defeated Caslio. Remember, your so-called 'King of the Ghosts'?"

"Do not taunt me, boy! I need time to think this over. I will need to see if Octobust is quite fit for the mission for which he is required. I did not even expect Mario to get this far. But now that he has…well, I must take some precautions. Now leave, Twink! I must go over my plans alone…"

Twink left the room, depressed. Ever since Troy had taken over parts of the world and even some other places in the universe, people were in a bad way. Life was hard. If only someone would save them.

He tried to think of anybody who could get them out of this mess with Troy. He didn't know what he'd do if he had to keep this up any longer.

Wait a minute…could he-yes, of course! How hadn't he thought of this before?

Mario could save the world again!

* * *

It was agonizing. Having to sit on her bed and wait forever. For a sound…for a noise…for anything to make her in any way less frazzled than she was. Not like she expected that to happen. It was too cold and dark in her bedroom for anyone to want to go down here.

Peach wanted to know what that weirdo could possibly need with her. She racked her brain while tugging at her hair. Evil creepwads had pretty much exhausted reasons to kidnap Peach, so why would this…what was his name? Troy? Why would he need to keep her in this sad, pathetic excuse for a bedroom?

She smelled burning flowers and boiling steel. It wasn't the first time. That freak Troy seemed to have a love of burning things. It scared her how freaky this guy was. It was like he had a brain sometimes, and then it fell out and he would start acting all crazy.

As much as she hated him, she couldn't help but wonder just what he was doing. It didn't exactly soothe her brain to think that he could be trying to kill her at any time.

_Oh my gosh, Peach, you're being completely paranoid,_ she thought. _Don't you always say you hate it when Toadsworth is like this?_

_Yeah, well this is different,_ she argued._ He's an old geezer. I'm a princess…_

_Are you sure? 'Cause you don't look like one all messed up like that. Especially considering you're trapped in a gigantic palace under full security making sure you can't do much more than breathe. And besides that, I don't think it's very nice of you to call Toadsworth an old geezer. He's just looking after you._

_Well, you know what? I'm gonna get myself outta here, okay? And there's nothing you can do about it. So what do you think about-_

_Oh my gosh, Peach, you're arguing with yourself…_

_Peach, you're losing it..._

* * *

Bowser looked out the window of his castle with a wary yet tired look on his face. It got boring waiting for Mario to come trounce him over and over again. Snorting, he walked away from his window and called out the parlor door:

"Kammy, get me some coffee! Kammy!"

"Coming, Your Demandingness," Kammy Koopa pattered through the hallway into the parlor. "How do you want it?"

"Black's fine," Bowser growled in reply.

"How are you today, Your Greatness?" Kammy asked over her shoulder.

"Just great," Bowser lied. Everything was not just great. He lived his life in anticipation that Mario might show up any moment. It was terrible.

Kammy returned presently with the coffee, which Bowser drank slowly. As he did, he thought of any possible ways he hadn't thought of to get rid of Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Oh! Your Sluggishness," Kammy called, turning around right before she exited the parlor, "I forgot to mention. Someone has kidnapped Princess Peach again, besides you. Again."

"What?!" Bowser's eyes widened. "That is just not fair! How does this keep happening?"

"Well, I don't know, Sir, but there's something else I have to tell you."

"Well? Out with it!"

"Mario's collecting these-"

"Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it," Bowser interrupted her.

"But they're called Cloud Fragments, Your Dissmissiveness," Kammy replied. "When combined they create the Cloud of Dreams."

"And?"

"If one can bring back the Cloud of Dreams, the legendary land of Plathora will be rebuilt. And whoever made it happen would be worshipped forever by the Plathorans," Kammy finished. "Maybe even shower them with riches."

"Well, why didn't you just say that in the first place?!" Bowser's face was eager. "Let's go find them!"

"As you wish, Your Contraryness."

Kammy left to find her broomstick while Bowser got out his Koopa Clown Car. Within minutes, the pair had taken off into the sky.

"I believe that the first Fragment should be in the Dofter Palace," Kammy explained.

"Very good," Bowser answered. "Let's get it!"

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I'm just so evil, making Bowser and Kammy behind like they did in The Thousand-Year Door, aren't I? Review and tell me what you think! Finally, we'll be getting into chapter two! Like I said earlier, it's my favorite chapter in the entire story. So be patient, and you will see the best part of this entire fanfiction come to life! Have a good day.**


	16. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part I

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! It's finally time for chapter two of my original story, Paper Mario: The Legend of the Clouds. Hopefully I can finish this part before Wednesday, when I'll have to go back to school. And now that that's over with: I don't own the Mario series. I only own my original characters. So don't steal them. Or borrow them without asking. Just ask to use them in your story and I'll say yes. Probably. Okay! Let's get cracking. **

* * *

RitzelTown was huge; Mario couldn't see the end of it in any direction, although that may have had something to do with the countless skyscrapers looming everywhere you looked. Lights gleamed everywhere, blinding the party. They seemed especially bright considering it was nighttime.

"This place is a bit flashy," Koopetto pointed out the obvious.

"A bit?" Goomessa repeated irritably. "I'm getting a toothache just looking at this place!"

A Koopa wearing a pearl-dyed panther coat and a red silk scarf-_What is this, Manhattan?_ Mario thought-strolled on over to them and began to speak, very quickly and in an annoying nasally voice. "Hi! You're in RitzelTown! The cutest, fanciest, most glamorous little city this side of Manhattan!" She squealed "RitzelTown" like it was the greatest thing since buttered popcorn.

Goomessa whispered in Koopetto's ear (as best as she could considering their difference in size), "My toothache? Yeah, it just got worse."

Mario was frank in not being unable to understand the girl by the confused expression on his face. The Koopa continued. "Sorry! I put a little extra sugar in my extra-sugar sugar flakes this morning!"

"Sugar flakes? What the-Could you say that about ten times slow-"

"My name's Mame! Wanna be friends?" The Koopa interrupted him. The party stepped back as one nervously.

"So what can I do you for?" Mame seemed to take no notice of their freaked out facial expressions.

"Okay, we need to-" Mario stopped to make sure Mame wouldn't cut in. When she simply looked expectantly at him, he resumed speaking. "-get to the Central Music Hall. Could you direct us there?"

"Of course, of course, of course!" Mame jumped up and down. "Go left from here, make a right, make a right, make a right-oops, I said make a right three times, didn't I? Just one right, and then straight to the next left, and then right, and then another right, and there it is! Big and black with yellow flashy lights! You can't miss it! He he he he!"

Mario clenched his teeth. "Could you say that again, maybe _not_ in Freakazoid?"

"That way," Mame said with a suddenly shaky voice, pointing somewhere northwest.

Mario calmed down and smiled. "Thanks," he said, holding out his hand.

"Well, don't mention it! I love to help people, and the mayor says I'm a good speaker, so that's why he made me spokegirl. It's a big honor. Of course, Her Talentedness doesn't like the mayor, so she doesn't like people the mayor like, so she doesn't like-"

"Would you shut up?!" Goomessa shouted. Mame shrank back. Feeling guilty, Mario said one thing he knew would cheer her up. "Where are we again?"

He was right. "You're in _RitzelTown!_" After looking at the sky in thought, she continued, "Why are you going to the Central Music Hall anyway? You don't look rich or cool enough."

Mario blinked. "That was rude…and we have to find a place."

"What place?" The party jumped as another Koopa walked towards them seemingly out of nowhere. "Don't tell me it's Lucifer's Isle. I've heard there's a pipe that goes there in the Central Hall."

"Hi, Kenny! It's great to see you, Kenny!" Mame hugged the Koopa. "This is Kenny!" she introduced him.

"And Kenny is…?" Goomessa asked.

"I'm her brother." Kenny gave a brief wave and then repeated his first question. "Where are you going?"

"Well, actually," Mario folded his arms, "it is Lucifer's Isle."

"But you don't want to go there," Mame warned as she curled a finger and stuck the knuckle in her mouth. "It's kind of a dangerous place."

"Kind of?" Kenny echoed. Turning back to the party, he said, "If the waves around it go any higher, the island will be considered an underwater volcano."

"But wait," Goomessa steped towards Kenny. "We were told it was a sun-drenched island paradise."

"'Was' being the key word," Kenny answered. "It used to be nice and pretty. But recently, storms have been going on there, and it's not a great place to be anymore. People were evacuated from the island in fear of a big hurricane or something like that."

"Well, that can't be good," Koopetto said quietly.

"But we still have to go there," Mario told them. "It's important."

"Well, okay," Mame replied. "But don't say we didn't warn you."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Goomessa answered, annoyed.

Just then, a watch beeped. Mame looked down at hers, and shrugged. Kenny glanced at his, and turned to Mame. "It's time for you to see your therapist," he told her simply.

"You go to a therapist?" Koopetto raised his eyebrows.

Mame nodded happily, as though this was no big deal. "Sorry we got to spend so short a time with you guys," she said.

"Oh, don't worry," Goomessa replied under her breath.

"Who are you guys, anyway?" Kenny asked politely.

The party said their names all at once. "One at a time," Mario ordered. The other two nodded before the party said their names all at once. Kenny gave them an awkward smile before dragging Mame away by the shoulder.

"I can't tell which first impression is worse now," Goomessa commented when they were gone, "Paratonis or here."

"Well, we should head to the Hall," Mario suggested. His partners nodded and they set off, going the direction Mame had directed them. When they reached the Hall, they were surprised at just how large it was. Mario could barely see the top of the building.

"Well, let's go," Koopetto said.

"Hey, guys!" Goomessa glanced at the performing list as they headed inside and began jumping up and down. "Snow T. is performing tonight! Remember her? Now you can start living, Mario!"

"Oh, seriously? You're still hung up on that?" Mario sagged his shoulders.

"Well, it's just that she's the coolest thing on the planet right now!" Goomessa answered.

"But Goomessa," Koopetto said, "we're here to find the pipe to Lucifer's Isle, not listen to some singer."

"Bite your tongue! Snow T. is not just some singer, she is magic!"

"Goomessa, we're going to Lucifer's Isle, and that's final." Mario was not going to take no for an answer.

Goomessa sulked as the trio walked inside and down the large main hall. A Toad in a goofy jacket stood at the end of it and looked up at them as they approached.

"Hello," Mario greeted him, "Do you know of they way to Lucifer's Isle?"

The Toad laughed. "Sir, that was quite funny. Now, tickets?" He held out his gloved hand as he spoke.

"No, seriously, bud, we need to get to the Isle. It's on important business," Mario answered.

"Sir, if you'd like to see the show, you'll need to give me your tickets now," the usher Toad said sternly.

"Seriously, man-" Koopetto began angrily.

"No, guys," Goomessa cut him off. "If the guy wants us to see the show, then why don't we?"

"Goomessa, we're going to the Isle. Just as soon as this diphead tells us where to go."

The usher looked at Mario with a surprised expression. "Sir, since you seem to be insane enough to keep asking to go to Lucifer's Isle, I'll make you a deal. You give me one ticket, and I'll let you all in."

"Deal!" Goomessa bit on the corner of a slip of paper (remember, she doesn't have hands) in her pocket and handed it to the Toad.

"You planned this, didn't you?" Mario seethed as the usher led them inside to a set of seats on the fourth row down.

"I guess so." Goomessa grinned.

Just then, a man spoke over the intercom over the stage at the bottom of the room, "Hello, people, creatures, things, junk, and not to mention stuff! We're glad to have you here tonight! We all know why you're here, so I'll cut the chit-chat and tell you to please put your hands together for the first, last, and only…the great _Snow T.!_"

The hall exploded with applause. A large group of Toads walked slowly onto the stage in a syncopated fashion. Dancers, Mario guessed. But the applause became deafening as a last Toadette skipped on and Mario got his first look at Snow T.

She wore a white turtleneck and white slacks. Over these she sported a red skirt and red vest (both of which had a pink flaming heart sewed onto it). She also wore red socks and white slip-on shoes. Her hair was dyed white with red streaks. Her hot pink mushroom spots tied the look together.

"Whoever designed that should get an award," Koopetto commented.

"Eh," Mario replied, folding his arms.

"Oh, you just wait, Mario," Goomessa grinned again.

As she finished, Snow T. took a microphone out of its holder and began to speak into it. "Hi, people! Like Harold said, we are just so glad to see so many of you here tonight! I'd like to thank my friends and my family-" and as she said this she pointed to a group of people sitting in the first two rows, "especially for coming here to see me perform. Thanks, guys!" She waved.

She pointed towards a band of Toads at the very back of the stage, the drummer of which began to play a rather up-tempo, catchy, simple beat.

"Ooh, I know what this is!" Goomessa whispered.

"How can you-never mind," Mario decided not to finish the question. But it wasn't long before the people in front of the party were tapping their feet to the rhythm. Snow T. pointed to the band again and the guitarist began to play also. She did this a final time to start up the piano right before she began to sing. The dancers began to dance with her, an odd sort of mixed up dance where different groups of dancers danced different ways.

_Caress Cashmere, if it fits, go  
Until you find what you want you don't know  
It makes sense cause you don't want to take it slow  
This is my life don't throw me in the limelight  
Immerse yourself in a wish on a star  
Just think how life could change if you are who you are  
Even if the trail to your dreams seems so far  
This is my time, this is my night_

_This is my night to be normal  
And I'm gonna stay here and be myself  
This is my night to be normal  
And I'm gonna do what I want-let's ring the bells  
I know I'm kinda pushing but it's my night  
Any other night is just a rushed piece of life  
So let me through and let me have fun  
And give me my night just this once_

Snow stepped to the back of the stage and a group of dancers lifted her off the ground and she sat on their hands as she went into the second verse:

_'Cause no one knows who the real me is  
You think I love being a queen with a crown  
But it's not that great when you have no life  
Cause superstardom's not as easy as it sounds_

_This is my night to be normal  
And I'm gonna stay here and be myself  
This is my night to be normal  
And I'm gonna do what I want-let's ring the bells  
I know I'm kinda pushing it but it's my night  
Any other night is just a rushed piece of life  
So let me through and let me have fun  
And give me my night just this once_

Snow T. stood up in the hands of the dancers and pointed again toward the band. They went into a solo as Snow jumped off onto the stage and began to dance also. After about thirty seconds of the solo, Snow twirled to the front of the stage and began to sing the refrain again, with the dancers backing up with the verses:

_This is my night to be normal  
And I'm gonna stay here and be myself  
This is my night to be normal  
And I'm gonna do what I want-let's ring the bells  
I know I'm kinda pushing it but it's my night  
Any other night is just a rushed piece of life  
So let me through and let me have fun  
And give me my night just this once_

The band played another few bars and finished. Mario once again had his eardrums break from clapping and shouting. Snow T. waved and cried, "Thank you! No, you're great! You're great and you know it!"

"Yes, that was 'My Normal Night' by your very favorite Snow T.! But you knew that!" the announcer Harold shouted over the applause. Mario put his hands together a few times.

Snow T. walked back to the front to sing again.

* * *

**Now guys, we're going to pretend she sang another song, but I really don't want to have to think of any more words, so I'm just gonna say she sang one more song. Sorry, guys…**

* * *

"And what you just heard was 'Wake up America'! But you knew that too!" Harold sounded too happy for his own good, Mario thought. Snow T. bowed and waved again.

"Is there a longer song alive?" Koopetto asked incredulously.

"Nine minutes and forty-two seconds," Goomessa reported.

"Right," Mario said. "Now where's the pipe?"

Goomessa looked back at him, irritated. "Okay, Mario, now you're the one who's hung up."

"Well, we need to get to the Isle. Like Gillis said, Troy's going to be looking for the Fragments just like we are, so we need to be fast."

"Oh, okay, I get it," Goomessa answered sarcastically, "So we just stroll on over up the stage and search for a pipe while she's accepting applause from millions of people. Perfect plan!"

Mario didn't pay attention to her tone, but to what she'd said. "How do you know we'd go up on the stage?"

Goomessa looked down in embarrassment.

"So you knew where the pipe was? And you still insisted we see the concert?" Mario demanded.

"Uh…well…"

Mario put his forehead in the bridge of his hand between his thumb and forefinger. "Mamma…mia," he whispered.

He looked back up to see the dancers and Snow walking off the stage. Goomessa looked at him again. "So we'll just wait for everyone to leave and then go inside. We get to see the concert _and_ we get to the pipe. Happy?"

"Fine," was Mario's only response.

It was about twenty minutes of watching people get autographs signed and people Snow T. more likely than not didn't know giving her hugs-_probably people she saw sometime before and doesn't remember,_ Mario decided-before the auditorium was cleared out. With nods towards each other, the party advanced to the stage.

But a buff-looking Koopa at the very bottom wearing a green suit stopped them. "Sorry, guys, you can't go past here," he told them. "You gotta get permission from Snow T."

"Why would we need that?" Goomessa asked.

"Her hall," the Koopa replied briefly.

"What?" Koopetto furrowed his eyebrows.

"She bought it two weeks ago." The Koopa sounded annoyed.

"Well, where is she? This is kind of important," Mario said.

"How should I know?" The Koopa rolled his eyes. "Now I'm gonna hafta ask you guys to go. It's late, and the hall becomes Snow T.'s private building in five minutes."

Mario bit his lip. "Let's go, guys."

So the party left the auditorium. "This is so unfair," Koopetto whined.

"Well, as long as we can find Snow T., we can go to the Isle," Goomessa assured him.

"Yeah, but…" Koopetto trailed off.

"Let's just find this girl and get this over with," Mario sounded thoroughly annoyed at the idea of having to meet Snow T.

"What's wrong, Mario?" Goomessa asked. "I mean, were you listening to her first song? She must be a sweet, down-to-earth, kind person."

"That's how they all act…"

* * *

**What did you think? Review and tell me how you feel! I know I said this before, but I'm just so psyched to be writing this chapter. So I hope you liked it!**


	17. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part II

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! This is my story, the Legend of the Clouds. Chapter Two, Part Two. School's started again, so I won't be able to update as much. SO SAD. But anyway, it's disclaimer time, which isn't fun but at least it keeps the leeches-I mean lawyers off my small intestines. I don't own the Mario series or anything like that. I just own my original characters. Don't steal these people. I like them too much for you to steal them. Ask me through review or message to use them and I'll most likely let you. Okay? Okay.**

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The party walked outside and looked around, but people were still congregated around the Central Music Hall. Mario thought; if this girl was still signing autographs or something like that, where might she be? Probably in the middle of a crowd-but they couldn't just walk on up and ask to talk to her alone…

Mario tried to think of any way they would be able to find her. "We might be able to talk to her once everyone's gone," Goomessa suggested.

"No, Goomessa," Mario replied after thinking it over. "I want to get some sleep _before_ two in the morning."

"He's right," Koopetto agreed. "These people will never leave."

Even if they could think of a plan, it wouldn't come easy. People were screaming bloody murder trying to talk to Snow T. Mario could hardly hear himself think.

But at one point, Mario heard another voice rise up above all the others. It was Snow T.'s herself. "All right, everyone! Quiet!" The crowd assumed silence very quickly. "I need a few minutes to myself. I promise I'll come back out and sign some more CDs and notebooks…and socks…and hair…in a few minutes."

Murmurs of disappointment came from the crowd, but Snow T.'s voice was one that seemed to command compliance. As she started towards the Hall, people began to make a fuss and shout once more.

Snow T. didn't seem to notice the party until she was right in front of them. She looked up and stared blankly at them. Mario stepped aside and opened the door. Snow smiled at him and walked in.

"See, she's not mean," Goomessa said.

"Okay," was all Mario said in reply as he closed the door.

Koopetto's eyes lit up. "Mario, don't you think we should follow her in?"

"And have all of her fans murder us for not doing what she says?" Mario answered. "No thanks."

"None of them will notice if we go in quietly," Koopetto explained. "They'll be too busy collecting dust from the ground she walked over."

"I don't know…" Mario looked at the crowd again.

Koopetto put a hand to his side. "Look, do we want to go to Lucifer's Isle or not?"

Mario sighed. "Okay, let's go."

He reached for the door again, keeping one eye on the fans. Turning the knob as carefully as he could, he pulled the door back open, thanking the Star Spirits it was too far off the ground to make a noise on the gravel. Once it was open, he took a last look at the crowd, who were luckily still turned away from them, and walked inside, followed by his partners. Closing the door as slowly as possible, he turned back around and began to walk back down the hall.

But when they reached the end, they were surprised at what they saw. Two Toadettes who looked and were dressed exactly like Snow T. were talking to each other. Mario crept towards the two to hear what they were saying. He could faintly hear his friends doing the same.

"-and, uh, thanks, Tess," one of them said, handing the other an impressive wad of cash.

"No problem, Snow. Anything for a friend," Tess T. laughed as she accepted the wad and hugged Snow.

"It's just really hard trying to be all happy and sign things…" Snow T. folded her arms.

"Should we say something?" Mario whispered.

"I think we should wait until Tess T. leaves," Goomessa suggested.

"Well then we'll need to get out of the way," Mario pointed out. "Or else she'll see us."

The party crept into a side room one the left side of the hallway. They heard Tess and Snow T. exchange a few words of departure and Tess T. walked back out the front door.

They could hear more footsteps becoming softer as they went. Snow T. must be going back into the auditorium. Mario beckoned for his partners to follow him. He walked silently back into the main hall.

Snow T. was closing the door behind her. Mario ran to the door and opened it when he reached it. But the hallway was so long that Snow T. had already made it halfway down the stairs when he and his friends were there. Mario decided to simply call her name.

Snow T. almost fell over when he did. "Who's there?" she squealed, turning around. She saw the party and put a hand to her mouth. "You're the guy who-what are you _doing_ here?"

While Mario had had the entire conversation planned out just seconds before, asking Snow T. to use the pipe on her stage, his mind went blank now. "I, uh, well-"

Snow T. cut him off. "Get out of my hall!" she shouted. "Anthony, get this guy out of here!"

The Koopa who had made the party leave the building walked out of the curtains and stared at Mario and his partners. "You're the guy who-what are you _doing _here?"

He stormed up the stairs. "You seriously have to leave."

"But Miss-uh-" Mario was lost for words.

Anthony walked up the rest of the stairs and grabbed Mario's shoulder. "You two come with me," he ordered and led the party out of the Hall.

"Well, so much for following her," Mario sighed when they were outside.

"We'll have to wait," Goomessa repeated her suggestion.

"I guess we will," Mario replied.

"But we should probably rest first," Koopetto said.

The other two nodded. Mario walked up to one of Snow T.'s fans and got his attention, which was hard because Tess T. (as Snow T.) had returned and was attracting the attention of the entire crowd around her. He then asked, "Hey, do you know any way to get to a hotel?"

"Uh, sure," the Toad replied breathlessly. "Go that way-" he pointed to Mario's right, "and then left, and it should be right there. "It's called Colara."

"Thanks," Mario said before starting off in the direction the Toad had told him to go. He was definitely tired, and being a fancy shmancy town like it was, RitzelTown's hotels would be much better than normal ones.

_Although,_ Mario thought,_ it'll probably be much more expensive than a normal one too._

When the party reached Colara Hotel and Apartment Residence, Mario heaved another sigh and walked up to the lady at the front desk. While he was talking to her, Goomessa sat down on a chair next to the automatic glass door. Koopetto followed her.

When Mario was finished, he walked back over and told his partners their room was 361. They took the rather slow-arriving elevator and walked silently to the room.

"Goomessa and Koopetto, you take the beds right there, I'll take the foldout bed," Mario told them, unfolding the couch as he spoke. Goomessa and Koopetto nodded agreement.

Mario fell asleep before his head hit the pillow, but his dreams were strange and most of them ended with Snow T. squealing at the party to get out of her music hall.

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Mario slept in that morning, and was awakened only when Koopetto shook his shoulders. "Rise and shine, Mario. We gotta find a Snow T. today."

Mario sat up wearily. "Right," he yawned. "Where do we think we'd find her? And where's Goomessa?" he added, looking around the room and not seeing the Goombette.

"She ran off to find us something for breakfast," Koopetto answered.

"With what money?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention," Goomessa said, walking inside, "Mario, you're down fifty-four coins."  
Mario rolled his eyes. "Did you happen to see anyone who knows where Snow T. is?"

"Well, no. But she's supposed to have gone to some fancy restaurant or something."

"Well, we have something then," Mario shrugged. "She'll probably be somewhere near the Central Hall. Let's search around there."

Koopetto nodded and Goomessa smiled. The party walked outside and waited again for the elevator. Once down, the lady called to ask if they were staying the following night. Mario decided to say yes. After all, they'd not likely find Snow T. today, so they would want to be able to go back to the hotel. It was a nice hotel. The thought made Mario want to simply rest in the foldout bed for a few days.

"Let's start at the Hall at work our way outwards," Goomessa directed.

"Good idea," Mario said absent-mindedly.

The first restaurant outward from the Central Music Hall was Penndragon's. The party strode in. It was a large crowded diner with an Old English atmosphere. The waitress looked up with a bright, wide-eyed look on her face. "Three people?" she asked kindly.

"Oh, we're not eating," Goomessa stepped forward and answered. "We wanted to know if Snow T. is breakfasting here."

"Oh, no, I'm afraid she's not." The waitress sounded disappointed, as though she too wished it was true. "You might try somewhere else. Why did you want to know where Snow T. is eating?"

"There's something we have to-it's complicated," Mario answered resignedly.

"Well, thanks for stopping by." The waitress shrugged.

The party left and ferreted for another restaurant, stopping eventually at the Carlos Grill. Walking deftly inside, Mario waved to signal their presence. The waiter peered up from his paper, on which he was writing down some figures-probably to figure out some total cost. When he said nothing, Mario put to him the same question he had given the Penndragon's waitress.

The waiter smiled warmly and put down his pen. "Why, indeed she is," he replied in a Spanish accent. "Right this way."

He led them up a small stairway and into a modest, secluded balcony room where a few tables were situated.

"Over there," he told them, pointing to the Toadette who sat at the table farthest from them and then taking off.

Mario and his partners advanced towards her, and as they approached, she looked up. She stood up immediately and put both hands on her heart. "Oh my gosh, it's you."

"Snow, we have to-"

"Whatever you want or have to say, I don't care. You're creepy, and I don't want anything to do with you!" she sobbed. People at other tables looked at her, amused.

"Please, Ma'am," Koopetto stepped in front of Mario as he spoke, "all we need is-"

"Whatever it is, no!" Snow shouted. She then pushed Mario to the floor and ran around Goomessa. Clearing the stairs in a single bound, she turned around and cried, "Stay away from me, you're weird!"

She then fled the restaurant.

"That girl has issues…" Goomessa related.

"I'm fine, _thanks_," Mario said as he held on to another table to stand himself up.

A few other eaters dusted off their coats and rearranged their plates and silverware. Some of them got up and walked slowly over to Mario. One Bob-bomb asked indifferently, "Why did Snow T. just scream in your face?"

"It's-sort of-not really…" Mario decided to say the truth. "We need to use her pipe to Lucifer's Isle."

"Then when you get yourself killed, can I have that hat?" the Bob-bomb asked.

Mario merely backed away and ran out, followed closely by his friends.

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**So how do you like it? What did you think of Snow? Real snot-face, isn't she? Please review and tell me your opinions.**


	18. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part III

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! This is Chapter Two, Part Three of the Legend of the Clouds. Good for it. And now time for the disclaimer. Oh noes. I don't own the Mario series or anything to do with it. I only own my original characters. But you can ask me to use them by sending me a review or message and I'll probably let you. Kay? Good.**

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"Well, that was pointless," Mario muttered as the party walked away from the Carlos Grill.

"We have to keep tracking her down," Goomessa insisted. "She has to give up eventually, you know?"

"Yeah," Mario replied briefly. "But where do you think she'll have gone to this time?"

"We'll just have to look for her," Goomessa answered, "until we find her and maybe she actually listens to us."

"You're right," Mario agreed, finding confidence that they would find Snow. "Maybe we should split up."

Goomessa nodded and Koopetto shrugged. Mario decided to go right from the Central Hall, Goomessa started off to the left, and Koopetto walked straight away from the front door.

Luckily, the streets weren't as crowded today as they had been yesterday. Mario felt it shouldn't be very hard to find Snow; she would probably stick out from everyone else considering the way she was dressed and acted-unless it was only Mario she liked to argue with. But finding her was more difficult than it had first seemed. Mario had expected her to be nearby, but he couldn't find her in any main streets or alleys. He asked several citizens if she had passed by, but they all replied negatively. He knew either of his partners could have found her already and he wouldn't know-he probably should have planned better so they might have communication from wherever they stood. But if they hadn't, and she was right in his path, then he would be angry with himself indeed if he turned around now.

He began to walk backwards so he could look everywhere he had walked already in case he had missed Snow somewhere. There weren't too many people cluttering the roads, so he would probably be able to do this without hurting anyone. But not two minutes after he decided to do this, he stumbled into another person and fell to the ground.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" cried a shrill voice. Mario immediately recognised it, so he got up and spun around on one foot. As luck would have it, Snow T. was lying on the ground, glaring at Mario. Her look had changed since last night. She wore a pink dress with a sash and a scarf that was something like mauve. She had washed out the dye from her frothy hair, and it now maintained an orange color. But when she saw his face, her eyes widened in horror. He noticed for the first time that they were bright red.

"I was looking for you," he told her cautiously.

"Well, I was making sure you didn't find me," she replied in the same sharp tone as before.

"Please, Snow, we need a favor."

Snow narrowed her eyes at him. Mario helped her up and she dusted off her dress. Whipping out a silver notebook with a speed and preciseness that almost stung Mario, she asked him exasperatedly, "Where do you want to go?" As she did this, she began to write something down on the first piece of paper.

"I don't." Mario folded his arms.

Snow frowned at him. "Who should I make it out to?" she asked, ripping out the first paper and writing on the second.

"And I don't want an autograph," Mario replied, annoyed.

"Then what do you want?" Snow rolled her eyes and put her hands to her hips.

"Well…we need to get to Lucifer's Isle. It's important business," he added before she could ask why.

"Right…" She almost laughed. "Well, I need you to go get your idiot friends and then come to my house. I'll be waiting."

Mario nodded and left quickly to find Goomessa and Koopetto. "Idiot friends," he muttered as he searched for them.

He presently spotted Goomessa in front of coffee shop asking different people as they passed if they had seen Snow. He cantered over to her side. She looked up. "Did you find Snow T.?" she asked with a bored drawl.

"I did," Mario answered briefly. He then explained the situation. She smiled gratefully, but pouted when he told her Snow had called them idiots. "That snob," she remarked. "Let's find Koopetto."

They discovered the Koopa wandering about shortly afterwards. He listened as Mario explained again what they had to do.

"Okay," he answered, "So where is her house?"

"Uh…" Mario realized he had completely forgotten to ask Snow where she lived. He bet she had deliberately not told him where to go so he would be out of luck. "Well, I sort of-"

Goomessa's eyes brightened. "I know where she lives! There was this tour once that I was on, and they took us to her house," she declared.

"Okay, lead us there then." Mario smiled as he spoke, thankfully relieved of having to say he hadn't asked.

Goomessa thought for a second to remember where to lead them, and then started off in the opposite direction with Mario and Koopetto following her. The party walked in odd silence. Goomessa stopped every few minutes to see that she was going the right way. Eventually the party came upon a large blue mansion with stain-glass windows. Mario shuddered; he hadn't had such great experiences with mansions in the past. Actually it had been only one time, but it had virtually scarred him for life.

"Well, here we are," Goomessa told them.

They walked up the tall steps to the cerulean French doors. Mario hit the doorbell, which chimed loudly for a few seconds and then was silent.

After a couple of moments, Snow T. opened the door. She looked surprised for a moment, and then smiled. "Here you are," she said awkwardly. "Come in."

The party walked inside and admired the house. A large chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling in the living room. Mario could see some fifty cabinets in the kitchen across the living room. A set of ruby spiral stairs rested in the dining hall.

Mario heard a meow come from the living room. Snow turned on one heel and ran into the room. Mario and his partners followed her.

"Hello, Ashie," she gushed. "This is my cat," she introduced the calico.

Mario nodded.

Snow put Ashie down and stared the party down. "So what was it you needed? I forgot. Sit down," she added, gesturing towards the many chairs in the room.

Mario sat and explained. "We need to get to Lucifer's Isle, and we know there's a pipe in the Central Music Hall that goes there."

Snow sat also and looked up in thought. "I didn't think you were serious," she related.

"We were," Mario replied.

"Lucifer's Isle…why would you need to go to Lucifer's Isle?"

Mario sighed and told Snow all about their journey to find the Cloud Fragments and how the next one would most likely be on the Isle.

"That's so amazing," Snow said breathlessly. "Oh, Lucifer's…I haven't been there in years. It's a really nice place. I'd like to go there again sometime."

"If you hadn't heard, it's supposed to have taken a turn for the worse," Koopetto explained.

"You heard that from Mame Geerson, didn't you?" Snow cocked her head to the side.

Mario was surprised that Snow would remember the name of a person she didn't like, but nodded anyway.

"Don't listen to her. She's an idiot."

Goomessa smiled and chuckled. Mario cast a reproachful glance in her direction and looked back at Snow. "We didn't think she was an idiot. She and her brother are probably right about the Isle."

"Well, technically, to go into the Hall, I need to be with you," Snow told them, dropping the subject of Mame's intelligence. "It's sort of a…policy that my record people made up."

"Why's that?" Goomessa asked confusedly.

"I don't really know," Snow shrugged. "They just think it's important that no one tries to take my stuff. And I want to go there anyway, so…"

"But doesn't one need some kind of permission to go to a place as dangerous as Lucifer's Isle?" Koopetto pointed out.

"Well, yes." Snow sounded disappointed.

"Do you have any relatives close by?" Mario asked.

"Well, Daddy's in Bolivia…and Mother's in France…but there's my cat Vivaldi."

Mario looked at Snow in confusion. Vivaldi? Hadn't the cat's name been Ashie? Mario shook his head. He must have heard wrong. He looked at his partners, who shared his baffled expression.

"We want someone who can speak English," Goomessa told her.

"Well, Tiffany can't talk, but I understand her," Snow asserted.

"Tiffany? What the-" Koopetto began.

"Wait!" Goomessa cut him off. "Don't you have a sister Levi living here?"

Snow picked up the cat again and echoed, "Levi? No, we don't mention that name in this household, now do we, Paris?" As she finished, she stuffed her nose in her cat's fur in a manner that could only be described as nuzzling.

"Paris?" Mario repeated.

"Now wait," Goomessa hopped out of her chair. "You don't like your sister?"

Snow shook her head violently. "She's just…so not like me."

"Well, that's no reason not to like your sister," Mario said.

"You don't understand, she's just…" Snow trailed off.

"Well, she's the only one who can let you go to the Isle. So we're going to have to go see her," Goomessa insisted.

"Fine," Snow gave in. "I'll take us there."

It was another long walk to Levi T.'s house. It lay in the middle of a street that was as suburban as RitzelTown could get. When they arrived, Mario almost recoiled at the sight of the building. It was bright green with scarlet windows and door.

"Here we are," Snow whispered. "Let's go inside."

They made the short trip to the loudly colored entrance.

Snow pressed the communicating button on the speaker. No one answered, but the door opened after a few seconds. Mario and the others walked inside.

A Toadette shortly walked out of the kitchen with a tray of oatmeal cookies in her hands. Mario could have sworn he was looking at Snow T. She had silky orange hair and hot pink mushroom spots. The only difference was that her eyes were maroon in color. She wore a dark blue shirt and blue sneakers, accented by her light violet skirt and some other piece that draped over her shoulders. She smiled, revealing a set of pearly teeth.

"Snow!" she laughed in a Canadian accent, putting the tray on the table. "I haven't seen you in a while."

Snow smiled half-heartedly back. "Funny thing, that," she answered. "Great to see you, Levi…"

"Well, what do you need, Snow? Anything?" The tone of her voice indicating she hoped Snow might be visiting simply to visit.

She was disappointed when Snow briefly explained the matter, carefully avoiding telling Levi of the Cloud Fragments. But she quickly regained an air of calm and bliss as Snow asked her permission to make the expedition.

"Of course you can go!" She grinned. "Why not? If you want to go, I don't see why I shouldn't let you. Although…there's one condition."

Snow looked confused; obviously Levi didn't have conditions often.

"I wanna go too!"

Snow's expression changed from confused to horrified. Mario pulled Snow aside quickly, asking Levi to please excuse them, they'd be back in a second. Levi nodded.

The party and Snow retreated upstairs. "We are _not_ letting her with us!" Snow insisted. "We just can't!"

"Snow, she's your sister-"

"My stupid obnoxious sister who won't say yes to rich and beautiful! And she pays the price anyway!"

"Is that what this is about? She doesn't care that your parents are rich?" Goomessa looked shocked.

"It's not just that. She refuses to have anything to do with my friends and things I like to do, and people love her for her 'charm' and 'down-to-earth-ness', and she's just annoying, and she's…she's an older sister!"

"Sh!" Koopetto put a finger to his mouth.

"Snow, really, Levi is your sister, and I think she should be allowed to go," Mario urged.

Snow furrowed her eyebrows for a moment, then sighed. "Okay, fine. She goes with us. But I'm not doing this for my health. Just because you keep saying so."

Mario nodded. Even if Snow and Levi weren't on good terms, Levi should be allowed to come with the group. They left back down the stairs and were greeted by Levi, who luckily seemed to have heard none of the conversation. "So?" she prompted.

"You can come with us," Mario assured her. "It's a bit of a walk to the Central Hall, though."

"That's cool," Levi answered. "I'll make some food real quick and it'll be like a picnic at the Isle. Wait for a few minutes."

Levi returned presently with sandwiches for the five of them. The gang left and made the walk back to the Hall once again. They were there in ten minutes.

"You know, I've been here for every one of Snow's concerts, but I've never been here in the daytime," Levi told the others.

They walked inside back to the auditorium. Snow led the gang down the stairs and onto the stage.

"Just one problem," she said. "I need someone, who can hit that switch over there," and she pointed towards a red switch on a platform about ten feet from where she stood, "while I step on this one." And as she finished she peeled a piece of paper that looked like steel from another switch and hopped on it.

"I can," Koopetto reported and jumped on the job. When both switched were pressed, a purple pipe twirled out of another pedestal in the back of the stage. Mario smiled.

"That was fun to watch," Levi said dreamily.

"Well, let's go," Mario ordered, and the group leaped into the pipe one by one.

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**Okay! Sorry it took me so frickin' long to get this part up, but school happened, and what can I do? Tell me what you think!**

**And I know what you're thinking about Levi, and no I will not tell you if you're right! Evil I am!**


	19. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part IV

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here it is: Legend of the Clouds: Chapter Two, Part Four. That is what you is readifying. Oh yes. And now that that's out of the way…I don't own the Mario series or anything to do with it. I only own all of my original characters. You know who they are. But ask me if you can use them in your story and I will probably let you. Yes, yes, good.**

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Mario looked around in shock. Compared to the Isle, RitzelTown was a small village. Foliage and undergrowth covered almost every step one could take with countless shades of green. Mario looked up towards the sky and realised leaves covered most of it, forming a kind of canopy over their heads. Lucifer's Isle was quite awe-inspiring.

"Wow." Levi was the first to speak. "This place is beautiful."

"Sure is," Goomessa and Koopetto replied in unison, looking at each other amusedly afterwards.

"It's changed since I was here, at least," Snow commented and shrugged.

"Let's figure out where to go," Mario suggested.

The gang agreed simply to walk straight forward from the pipe, not really knowing where they were going. Mario looked up, frustrated, at the tree cover, wishing it would disperse so they could see the sky. After a couple of minutes, Levi began to make jokes every few moments, which Mario though was fun at first but annoying after the first few. Koopetto and Goomessa continued to laugh after each one. Mario guessed they knew Levi was trying to make Snow laugh so they boosted her confidence by giggling at her riddles. Snow remained typically silent.

After walking for quite a bit of time the group stepped into an abrupt clearing in the trees and gazed upwards, becoming surprised at what they saw. The sky was in fact a sickly greyish color. Clouds covered most of it.

"Definitely changed…" Snow gawked. "It's so…different."

"Almost like…creepy," Levi added quietly.

"Well, this would probably be a good place to set up the basket. You know, since we'll have the…sky to look at…" Goomessa lowered her voice to an embarrassed whisper at the end of her sentence.

"I just hope we don't get rained on," Levi said.

Levi reached into the picnic basket she had brought with them, searching for a blanket and the five sandwiches she had made right before they had left her house.

She screamed however as Snow's gray cat leaped out of the basket. "What the-where did _she_ come from?" she asked, shaking.

"You didn't think I was going to leave Ladrinia, didn't you?" Snow asked, prancing over and picking up the cat. "Oh, no, I wouldn't do that."

Levi smiled simply; evidently she was used to the name changing of Snow T.'s feline. She walked up to Ladrinia and reached out to pet her. Snow slapped her hand. "Don't touch my cat," she ordered her without any anger or threat, as though she was making simple conversation. Levi sighed.

The group sat down after Levi successfully procured the blanket and sandwiches, giving the correct ones to each person. The gang sat down and began to eat, but not too long afterwards Mario snapped his head upwards. What was that? He dropped his BLT and turned his head. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, although he could have sworn he had heard something rustling behind him. He turned back around and gathered the parts of his sandwich once again.

But the series of events that proved his suspicion of something in the bushes happened so fast no that one had time to react. A large octopus-possibly twenty feet tall-burst out of the trees and would have landed on top of the gang had it not landed swiftly on the ground, the shock throwing everyone into the air and away from the creature.

Mario pushed himself off of the grass and turned to get a good look at the octopus. It was orange with a red collar and blue eyes. On its head rested a small crown. And it had a large golden ring on each arm. Mario recognized it immediately.

"Kaliente!" he shouted. King Kaliente was the fiery octopus he had fought on one of his more recent adventures. He had shot coconuts, fireballs, and the second time they had met, also balls of ice at Mario.

"If you wish to see my father, you have come to the wrong place," the octopus told him in a threatening tone. Mario recoiled; he didn't know octopi could speak the English language. So this guy was Kaliente's son. "I am Octobust, King of the Sea. You are foolish to have come here. I will make you pay for intruding here."

After speaking Octobust swooped over to the other side of the clearing and took Levi up in one of his arms. Levi shrieked. Koopetto was too shocked to act; Goomessa hadn't the slightest clue what this thing was or how to give a report on it; and Mario was trying to do too many things at once to attack.

So Snow sighed and started towards Octobust. Jumping into the air and performing a sort of kung fu kick that you should only see in movies, she knocked Levi out of his arm. Mario's eyes widened.

But that wasn't all. As Snow's foot came into contact with Octobust, ice covered the arm. _What the heck?_ Mario demanded himself. He tried to call Snow's name, but no sound came out.

Snow and Levi landed more or less unscathed. Octobust waved his arm around to shake off the ice. "You have proved to be an annoyance already," he bellowed. "Let's see how you deal with _this!_"

He then flew into the air (because all octopi have invisible wings of course) and shot a large, wide ring of fire towards the ground. Most of the trees were decimated before anybody had time to move.

"The pipe!" Goomessa shouted and began to bound in the direction of the now-visible exit. The others followed.

"Oh, no you don't!" Octobust declared. He shot a coconut at the pipe, and right before Goomessa reached it, it was blasted to bits, leaving only a square tile with a circle-shaped shadow in the middle.

"Now you'll never leave! And King Troy will have all of the Fragments!" Octobust told them giddily before flying off in the direction of a mountain far away from their current location.

Levi turned and began to speak immediately, as if nothing had happened.

"Thank you so much, Snow, I don't know what I would have done without you to do what you did and oh my gosh, thank you!" She then rather forcefully hugged Snow, who somewhat returned the favor.

"Yeah, well, you're safe, sis. Right Mario?" Snow looked at Mario with a "no thanks to you" expression on her face at the end of her sentence. Mario scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Well, I guess since the pipe is gone we should try to get to that mountain," Goomessa pointed out, shrugging afterwards.

"That's true," Mario agreed, trying to take control over the situation. "And while we do that, we might make a raft or something so we can leave once we get the…" He trailed off, remembering Levi didn't know about the Fragments yet.

But then he thought: Why shouldn't she? Snow knew, and she just about hated Mario and his friends-not to mention her own sister. So Levi had a right to be at least as informed as Snow.

"Look, Levi, I'm going to tell you exactly why we're here."

"I thought it was a picnic."

"No, not a picnic…" And he proceeded to explain for about ten minutes what had happened and about the Clouds Fragments and Plathora, and how they had a hunch (or actually, knew, since Octobust was here) that the second Fragment was here. Levi listened with the utmost excitement. "That's so cool! Like an adventure or something! A journey to find a magical city…wow."

"Wow, indeed," Snow said. "Why didn't you guys tell _me_ about the Plathwhatever and the ghost dude before?"

Mario tried to think of an answer, but was saved the trouble by Koopetto. "Because we didn't have much time," he said. "Now we know this freaktopus works for Troy, so we can sort of take our time finding the Fragment."

Snow looked unconvinced, but didn't argue further. Mario decided they should try to accomplish both tasks at hand to spend the least amount of time possible. He arranged duties quickly-the Toadettes would gather wood, Koopetto volunteered to start building, and Goomessa and Mario would search for an entrance to the mountain. After receiving agreement-grudging or not-he set the three workers to their projects while he and the Goombette started off in the other direction.

"Well, at least we can see more then four feet in front of us," Goomessa pointed out as they began walking.

"Yeah, at least," Mario replied absent-mindedly. He thought back to Octobust telling them they would never leave the island, and that Troy would get all of the Fragments. He hadn't sounded very sincere…almost like he didn't want it to happen. Maybe Octobust was just another of Troy's forced followers. He didn't relate this discovery to Goomessa, however.

Then he remembered not telling his partners about ghosts having hard lives and regretting it.

"Goomessa," he began after a few minutes of deciding, "how many of Caslio's guard enemies do you think are actually faithful to him?"

"Well, that's a strange question," Goomessa answered, surprised. "Not strange like, 'why are you asking that' strange, but strange like, 'interesting question' strange. Why do you ask?"

"I'm thinking that Octobust is one of them who's not."

"Are you?" Goomessa stopped walking (hopping, whatever) and faced Mario. "Maybe. I don't know."

"I wish we knew just who-or what-all the boss enemies are going to be," Mario told her.

"Well, we'll just have to wait," Goomessa said as the two started towards the mountain again.

* * *

"Levi, hand me some more of the ash to take back," Snow ordered.

Levi spun around with a few of said planks in her hands. "Say the magic word-"

"Now!" Snow shouted. Levi handed over the planks immediately. Snow reached into her pocket and pulled out a tube of lip balm. Taking off the cap, she was frustrated to find it was used up. "And my backup Silver Cherry chapstick," she added, stuffing the tube back in her pocket.

"Just one word-"

"_Levi!"_ Snow cried. Levi hardly hesitated to give her the chapstick. Snow ran over her lips with it and dropped it in her other pocket. She then walked off with the wood.

Levi frowned. "Hey, sis!" she shouted right before Snow was completely gone. The other Toadette turned. "What?"

"Um…see ya," Levi said, realizing she had no idea what to say, but just wanted to talk.

Snow smiled. "Yeah…you too. Make sure Jennifer doesn't get into any trouble, 'kay?"

* * *

Koopetto hammered tiredly at his so-far combination of two whole planks of wood. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned his head to see Snow coming towards him with more wood.

"Hello, Snow," he greeted her quietly.

"Hey." Snow dropped the planks and took stock of Koopetto progress (or lack thereof). "So how's it going?"

"Okay…" Koopetto answered. "I wonder how Goomessa and Mario are doing so far."

Snow shrugged. To tell the truth, for all she cared, the two explorers could be caught in some trap that Octowhatsit thing had set if it helped them get off this island. But she decided not to say exactly that. "I think they'll be fine," she told Koopetto. "I bet they will."

Koopetto nodded and continued to hammer on the beginnings of the raft. Snow left to scream at her sister for more wood, leaving Koopetto to his boring job.

He didn't know why, but Koopetto was worried for Mario and Goomessa. It wasn't like Mario had never gone on an adventure before, and Goomessa had been with him before Koopetto had come along, but he had a bad feeling about that mountain…

Telling himself he was being stupid, he finally convinced himself that his friends would be fine.

* * *

**Well, that's it for today! Sorry it's kinda short, but I'm having writer's block. Tell me what you think and all that!**

**Sorry also that we didn't get to know whether the thing you think is going to happen is going to happen or not; I made up Mario and Goomessa going to the mountain at the last minute. ****But I hope you liked it anyway!**


	20. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part V

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here's part five of my story: Legend of the Clouds: Chapter Two. Great.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mario series or anything in it. I only own all of my original characters. I OWN THEM AND THEY ARE MINE. And if you have the memory of a goldfish I'll remind you that you can ask to use them and I'll probably say yes. Now let's get this party started! No owning of Pink belongs to me by the way!**

* * *

Mario and Goomessa walked tiredly across Lucifer's Isle in search of an entrance to the mountain in which Octobust resided. It felt like they had been travelling for hours. They were getting back into the forest by now-Octobust had burned hundreds of trees down before leaving, but Lucifer's Isle was huge, and there were still many in the other parts of the island. Which meant it would be more difficult to explore the place as they got farther from the others. Mario wished he had some way to float over to the mountain.

"I wonder how the others are doing," Mario commented, looking at Goomessa.

Goomessa shrugged. "Koopetto's asleep on a half-finished raft, Snow's exhausted her vocal cords from shouting, and Levi's singing 'I Know a Song that gets on Everybody's Nerves'."

Mario decided she was probably right. "Do you think we'll actually find a way in this mountain?' he asked.

"I bet we will," Goomessa answered confidently. "I mean, it can't be that hard to find. It's probably a big hole in the rock. Just like the first one…" She trailed off, as though remembering the entrance to Dofter Cave had given her second thoughts that this one was the same.

"Might be," Mario agreed thoughtfully. "I wonder-Goomessa, did you notice anything about the way he introduced himself? Octobust, I mean."

Goomessa thought for a moment. "He said…'If you wish to see my father, you've come to the wrong place. I am Octobust, King of the Sea.' Right?"

"Right," Mario affirmed. "Did you notice anything peculiar about that?"

Goomessa stopped walking. "Mario, you sound like a philosopher or something. What do you mean, something peculiar?"

"Nothing," Mario answered quietly, frowning but not showing it. "Let's keep going."

The pair continued searching for the entrance and eventually entered an even thicker forest with another tree canopy. "You know, when we can't see the sky, it looks pretty nice," Goomessa said.

"You're right." Mario nodded. "But it's so warm here. And getting warmer. Do you think that maybe Octobust lives in a volcano? Might make sense since he's Kaliente's son."

"I hope it's not a volcano. I can't stand the heat," Goomessa told him.

"Really?" Mario was surprised. Goomessa seemed not to mind it when they were in Gillisville, which was practically a desert, and RitzelTown wasn't exactly an ice cap either. She hadn't said anything then.

Then again, Goomessa was rather proud. Not the type to admit she was uncomfortable.

He was shaken from his thoughts when something zipped in front of the pair, throwing up leaves and sticks and causing them to stop dead in their tracks.

It stopped with a painful precision right before it disappeared from sight, turning around immediately to face them. It looked like a rabbit with devil-looking horns protruding out of the top of its head. It looked at them with glowing yellow eyes.

"It's an Ice Perri," Goomessa reported before Mario even had to ask. "Just a bunny that wants to eat your face off. Sweet, right?" she finished sarcastically.

The rabbit jumped at them with long teeth bared. Mario dodged and let it fall to the ground. The Perri hardly paused before getting back up and leaping at Mario again. Mario whacked it in the face with his hammer right before it reached him. It only flinched however and was not fazed as it sunk its teeth into Mario's arm. He cried out sharply and Goomessa took the opportunity to Headbonk its head. It jumped off Mario's arm and ran toward her. But Mario chased it and jumped onto it before it reached her. It cried out in pain, fell to the ground with a thud and was silent.

"Doesn't put up much of a fight, doesn't it?" Mario remarked. His arm had hardly pained him after the initial shock, and this thing was apparently quite weak.

"Its HP is only 6," Goomessa told him. "They can also freeze you with ice, so if we meet another one, we should be careful."

Mario nodded. "Sure thing. Now let's keep looking for that entrance."

They walked on in search for the mountain and after another half an hour the base was finally in sight. When they were at the base itself, it looked around ten times larger than when they had first set off. _This island really _is _huge,_ Mario thought. They combed the mountain for a hole in the side, or a secret door, or something. After many minutes of looking, they finally saw a large crack in the wall. A Goomba waddled towards it slowly.

"There it is!" Goomessa whispered, but the Goomba seemed to have heard. He turned toward the pair and jumped when he saw them. "It's Mario!" he cried. "Mr. Octo warned us!" A few more Goombas rushed out of the bushes to join him.

One of them whispered in the ear of the one who had spoken. "You're right," he replied. The Goomba group rushed inside the mountain.

"They're going to tell Octobust we're here," Goomessa guessed.

"I guess since we know where the entrance is, we should go back and tell the others," Mario said.

So they started back in the general direction of the other three-or at least where they probably were from where the pair was currently. They could tell however it would still be a long walk.

* * *

Snow lugged some birch wood back to Koopetto's working station to both look over his progress and simply talk. She stepped carefully over sharp roots and into the clearing where the Koopa was assigned to hammer together planks of wood to form a raft. But when she walked in, she found to her dismay that he was sleeping on raft that was about half-done. Rolling her eyes, she tiptoed to his side and called his name quietly.

He didn't stir so Snow called louder. Koopetto refused to hear her. She shook his shoulders and he finally woke up. "Got a lot of nothing to do, don't ya?" Snow giggled.

"Heh, heh…sorry," Koopetto apologised. "It's just so hot here."

"I know." Snow nodded. "Well, we could switch jobs around. I'll build, you and Levi get wood."

Koopetto considered. "Sounds good," he answered.

So Koopetto walked away in the direction Snow had told him Levi was.

Snow put her hands to her sides, gazing over the work she had to get done. Most likely she already had enough wood to finish the job, but as she nodded to herself to admire the fact, her inside obsessive-compulsive Toadette told her she might want to make extra paddles in case the ones Koopetto had made broke. And come to think of it, the sail looked rather weak. And in case that sail tore when they were in the middle of the ocean, she should make another. But where could she find more cloth? Koopetto had stretched his already large handkerchief to make the first.

Snow looked down at her Vertilia purple silk dress, torn from stepping over fallen trees and crumpled from falling numerous times. It was ruined anyway, so why not? Well, she didn't usually see a purple sail, but it was for a good cause, anyway…

But before she started, she'd need some dynamic music. After about ten minutes, she'd fixed together a little guitar out of twigs and leaves. While she played around with chords and notes, she set to work. As she ripped at the dress, she thought: this puny raft might capsize and break down if they had a storm come in. They'd need something stronger. Well, it was technically it was Levi and Koopetto's jobs to bring wood, but it would be faster if she got it herself. Sure, the trees Koopetto and Levi were gathering from had more wood to spare, but what did that matter? It was all around her, so why shouldn't she?

Driven by a sense of pride and determination, she skipped over to a nearby fallen tree and picked up all the usable wood she could carry. She carried it back the few yards to the raft. She scraped off some of the wood from one of her branches to make herself another plank. She nailed it at an angle to the raft. She continued doing this until she had turned the raft into a sort of bowl.

_Well,_ she thought,_ it's still kinda sloppy-looking. What we need is a stern and a bow to balance this thing. I mean, what if the planks break off?_ She added the said parts quickly by shaping a few more branches into cones. Then, turning, Snow tripped on her dress. _Oh, yeah, the sail._

She found a few smaller twigs and began to knit the rips in the dress together to make a square about the same size as Koopetto's handkerchief. She made a little box from pieces of another branch and packed this inside. She looked up at the sky and realized it was at least six in the evening. Koopetto and Levi must be running out of good wood if they were taking this long.

She decided she'd also have to speed up her work. But she should take a good look at her work first. It looked pretty good; it was certainly better than a raft. But it was missing something. What could it be? It had everything they would need as far as safety went, and it looked cute. But still…she had to find out what she thought was needed to make this rig look even better, or her name wasn't Snow T. And it was.

She snapped suddenly. That's what it was. It didn't have a name.

Grabbing a few leaves and the last box of nails Koopetto had brought, she set to work once again.

* * *

"No kidding," Levi laughed as she and Koopetto walked side by side carrying more ash. "Seriously."

"But isn't that illegal?" Koopetto asked through his own laughter. "I thought that was technically breaking the order?"

"Not if she didn't know it was me in the chicken suit," Levi replied. "But if you just pull the 'where's my mommy' face and insist that your sister dared you to dance in a chicken suit in front of the Queen of England, then they let you go with a slap on the wrist and a 'Don't let your sister make you do this again!'"

"I didn't think you could ever be, well, 'bad'," Koopetto told her. "I guess you get that a lot, being the sister of Snow T."

"It's true," Levi answered. "I hid a starving snake in Mrs. Kloster's closet, and after she opened it and got a snake in her face, every eye in the room was on Snow. What?" she added when Koopetto looked surprised at her. "Mrs. Kloster was a jerk!"

Koopetto snorted in amusement and the pair walked on. "How much do you think Snow has done?" Koopetto asked after a few minutes.

"I wouldn't say a lot," Levi replied with a touch of withdrawal in her voice.

"Yeah," Koopetto sighed. "I don't know, I just think-whoa."

The pair stepped into the clearing and saw Snow's "raft". She was just finished tacking "Notre Sauveur" in leaves onto the side. Hearing Levi and Koopetto drop their wood in shock, Snow turned and grinned. "What do you think?"

"Snow…Snow, this is-this is-" Levi stuttered.

"This is beautiful!" Koopetto finished for her. "Snow, how did you manage to turn that half-finished little raft into…this?"

"Well, I knew you guys wanted this to get us all the way back to land, but there are supposed to be storms here all the time remember?"

"Didn't you say you thought that wasn't true?"

"Yeah, and then I saw the sky."

Koopetto nodded.

"So I decided we'd need something that would stand a storm better. And I guess I just had fun making this thing."

"By the way," Levi cut in, "what happened to your dress? It was a lot longer last time I saw it."

Snow showed them the makeshift sail she had knitted earlier. Koopetto and Levi exchanged impressed glances.

"Also what up with the guitar?" Koopetto inquired.

"Made it from some of the trees."

"Snow, this is just great!" Levi smiled wide.

"Yeah, well, I don't know…" Snow tried to act modest but was failing rather embarrassingly.

At that moment the trio heard rustling from the bushes to their right. They turned to look at them, and heard voices coming from them.

"This isn't the way, I'm serious," said the first. They recognized it as Goomessa's.

"It is too," said Mario's voice, the other one they expected to hear. As the two came out of the bushes arguing, Koopetto and the Toadettes waved.

Goomessa looked down in embarrassment. Mario laughed, but stopped abruptly when he and Goomessa saw the boat. "What in the-" they both began and trailed off. "Whose boat?" Mario asked cautiously.

"Levi made it," Snow told him quickly.

Levi turned toward her in shock. "Snow, what are you-" she whispered. Snow put a finger to her mouth to shush her.

"Whoa," Mario said in surprise.

"Should we say it now?" Goomessa whispered in his ear.

"Yeah, we should."

"What are you talking about?" Snow asked.

"Well, Levi," Mario began, "Goomessa and I wanted to ask if you wanted…to come with us to the mountain. We found the entrance," he added.

"And we wanted to know if, after that, you might like to go with us on the rest of this adventure," Goomessa finished the proposal.

Levi's blissful expression had changed to one of surprise. "Well, Mario…I don't know what to say." After a moment, she continued. "I would love to."

The party exchanged smiles, but Levi wasn't finished. "But I'd have to say you've asked the wrong sister."

Mario furrowed his eyebrows.

"Snow made a guitar with twigs and leaves," Levi explained. "Snow's lying, too-I didn't make that boat, she did. I can't start a fire with stones. I know it doesn't look like it, but Snow is the adventurous one of us. I would love to come with you if you really want me to, but…I just think you should ask Snow instead."

Mario's mouth hung open. Levi had made quite a speech. He and his partners turned slowly towards Snow. "Snow T.," he started, "would you like to come with us to the mountain, and on the rest of this adventure?"

Snow grinned. "Yes, I would. I'd love to," she replied, running up and throwing her arms around Mario. Mario looked over her shoulder at Levi, who simply smiled back at him. For a split second, however, he could swear she saw a tinge of regret in her eyes.

* * *

**Okay, I think that's it for today! What did you think about Snow knowing how to build a big boat? What did you think about Snow being the new partner? Review and tell me what you thought, please!**

**Next chapter we're going to have the party going into the lair of Octobust. Stay tuned**!


	21. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part VI

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! This here is Legend of the Clouds: Chapter Two: Part Six. Part six, dude! Okay, that was weird.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mario series, unfortunately. I only own all of my original characters. Which means I have complete power over them. But askage on your part will probably entail my permission for you to use them. So let's go!**

* * *

The party, with its newest addition made in the form of Snow T. (which Mario had definitely not expected but not argued with), trudged towards the mountain tiredly. If it was possible, Mario thought it had seemed much shorter a trip the first time. But no one spoke, although Mario could tell each and every one of them (himself included) wanted to suggest they set up a place to sleep. One problem: they didn't have a tent or anything of the sort. They hadn't known that a giant octopus was going to block their only fast exit out, so they hadn't thought to bring camping supplies. Of course, they could sleep on the ground…and they probably would have to before long.

The first person to finally speak was Koopetto, oddly enough. "Do you think this Octobust guy is expecting us to come?" Not only was Koopetto an unlikely candidate for first one to talk, but Mario thought the question was an odd one.

But then he thought-maybe Koopetto had a point. This freak of nature with invisible wings had reasons to expect them, and reasons to expect them not to come. For one, he probably knew Mario's face because he worked for Troy. On the other hand, he could have believed himself to have scared the party out of pursuing him.

"Hmm…" was all Mario said however. After a moment he continued, having made a decision. "I bet he thinks we'll come. He probably knows we're after the Fragments, so we'll be waiting for us."

"Yeah, you're right," Koopetto replied, nodding and then dropping the subject.

"So let me get this straight," Snow said suddenly. "We're gonna kill an octopus…and we're gonna get a cloud for it." Mario nodded.

"That makes a lot of sense," Snow remarked sarcastically.

"I remember this mountain is supposed to be called Fever Peak," Goomessa told the other. "Maybe it_ is_ a volcano…"

"I told you about the guardians, right?" Mario asked.

"Yeah you did," Snow answered. "Who's the next one supposed to be?" she inquired curiously.

It suddenly hit Mario that it had never occurred to him to ask Gillis last time they had seen him who the next spirit guardian would be. Gillis had been so happy and talked so much that Mario had hardly got a word in edgewise. Not that it mattered; they would certainly meet him or her soon enough. Still, he decided it might do him good to think back to meeting the guardians. While the party continued to walk towards the mountain, he remembered the enthralling (although also rather awkward) time when he had seen them. He remembered Amber of course, sadistic but practical, and the Toad, calm and orderly. Who were the others? Right-he remembered the Yoshi, rather annoying but optimistic; the Boo, refined and polite; the Bob-bomb, proud and laid-back. The other-Mario thought for a moment and then recalled the Fuzzy, both eccentric and energetic; and the Star Child, kind but serious. All different and varying, they were.

They were what Luigi would call "quite a crew" and HOLY SHITAKE MUSHROOMS LUIGI! It pierced Mario like fire that he hadn't thought about his brother since Troy had come to the party and hit him with the darkness or whatever it was. Where was Luigi? Was he okay? What had happened to him after Troy had vowed to spread the darkness through the Mushroom Kingdom? Mario's head went fuzzy with thoughts and questions. He couldn't believe he had completely forgotten about his own brother.

He was so frustrated and horrified that he didn't even see the giant log. He walked head-on into it, falling backwards and onto the ground. He shortly got up and brushed himself off, looking up afterwards to see all three of his partners staring at him blankly. Goomessa blinked a few times and asked, "Are you deaf or something?"  
Mario looked back at them, embarrassed. He must have been so lost in thought that he hadn't heard them tell him to stop. He was getting into a habit of humiliating himself on Lucifer's Isle…

"How are we supposed to get rid of that thing, anyway?" Snow wondered out loud.

"Dunno…" Goomessa replied, looking at the log forcefully as though willing it to roll away.

Koopetto suggested they push it together. Their combined strength would be enough to move it, he said.

But it wasn't. Snow folded her arms and blew out a breath out frustration. Goomessa jumped as a stream of cold air hit her. "What was that?" she asked cautiously to no one in particular.

Koopetto shrugged and Mario looked around for some sort of trap that Octobust had set to freeze them or something.

Snow raised her hand. "That was me," she said. "I'm a little shivery today."

The others nodded. But how were they going to get rid of this giant slab of wood? They could turn around and take a different path through the forest…Yes, they'd have to do that.

But right as he was about to suggest they turn back, he was struck by a new idea. "Snow, if you can breathe cold air just by being cold, even on this tropical sunshine place-or tropical cloudy place anyway-then do you think you could breathe hot air by being warm?"

Snow looked confused at the question, as though Mario wasn't making any sense. "I suppose so…"

Goomessa stepped forward. "Mario, I know what you're trying to do, but I don't think it's gonna work. Snow can't just suddenly be warm."

"You're right…"

Snow unfolded her arms and began to hum. Mario turned and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I sometimes hum or sing when I'm trying to think," Snow replied.

Mario nodded and paced, trying to think. They _would_ have to a different way instead.

But he was interrupted again from saying so when a small red hue began to appear around Snow. Mario jumped. "What is that?" he cried.

Snow stopped humming. "Whaddya mean?"

"That thing that was…I must be really tired, I'm hallucinating," Mario decided not to finish the first sentence.

"No, I saw it too," Goomessa whispered. "Snow, keep humming. I want to know what that was."

Snow continued, and before long the ring appeared around her again. Mario walked into it and jumped back immediately, holding a burn in his hand. Then his eyes lit up. "I think…we've found our way past this thing. Snow, keep singing and walk into that log."

Snow looked confusedly at him again but complied. The log sparked for a few seconds. Snow's eyes went wide but she didn't stop. The log caught fire after a moment. It spread quickly and burned the entire log down in a matter of seconds. The party looked down at the ashes in shock. Snow finally quit humming and stared as well.

"That was pretty," Goomessa commented.

"Yeah, I burned down a log. How fascinating," Snow joked.

"Wow. I can't believe you could do that," Mario said, turning to Snow. "That really was amazing."

Snow smiled and murmured a thank-you, well, we should make our way to that mountain don't you think.

Mario simply nodded.

Goomessa walked to Mario's side. "Mario," she whispered, "you look troubled about something. You do that a lot. What's up?"

Mario looked up at the question. "I don't know, really…maybe I'm just too tired to think."

Goomessa looked at him with a mixture of pity and dole before suggesting the party advance as Snow had said.

As the made the trek, Mario rolled over the day's events in his head. It had been quite a day. Mario felt he could fall asleep while he was walking. It had been hours since they had left Levi for the entrance, and it seemed the walk was much longer than when Mario and Goomessa had left by themselves.

Were they going in the wrong direction?

If they were walking the wrong way, Mario would murder himself. But he could swear they were going the same direction he and Goomessa had gone.

And then he fell. Flailing his arms wildly, he tumbled down a sloping wall of mud and hit the bottom of a ditch headfirst. Shaking dirt off his head, he made an effort to stand. But he slipped on the mud and fell on his face again.

He heard someone sliding down the mud also. Looking up, he saw Goomessa looking down at him with the same piteous face as before. "Do you, like, have knobs on your ears that turn them off or something?" For some reason, Mario felt the lack of smugness in her tone made embarrassing himself again even worse. He got back up with her help and thanked her awkwardly.

"Hey!" Snow called down. "How are you gonna get out of there anyway?"  
"I think…I'm not sure," Mario answered.

But before the party could ponder the solution, the ditch suddenly rumbled. Mario and Goomessa spun around to see what was happening.

Some five Ice Perris exploded out of the middle of the hole. Before anybody could process what had happened, four of them hopped madly at the party.

The fifth stared at them with narrowed bead eyes. Mario was surprised to find it was different from the others in that it was bright blue instead of white, and its eyes were red instead of yellow. "That's a Perri Ringleader," Goomessa explained. "They have 10 HP instead of 5, but their otherwise just like their lessers.

"You're moustache-man, aren't you! This is what you get for killing little Benny!" the Ringleader shrieked. Apparently many more things could talk than Mario knew.

"Benny?" Mario echoed, but a Perri was on top of him before he could say more.

If he had not had Koopetto and Snow with him this time, he and Goomessa would be…not very happy with their lives. With all of his partners' help, he dispatched the first four Perris. The Ringleader finally jumped into the ditch, were Koopetto and Snow had fallen by now. "How could you!" it squealed. Mario could tell it was female.

Snow stepped-or scrambled-forward and yelled back at the Leader, "I'll scream! We'll scream if you come any closer and then my sister Levi will come and…um…"

"Do you _actually_ think I care what your sister plans to do?" the Leader demanded. "If _you_ try to kill _me_, me and my other friends will scream and King Octobust will come and beat you up! How do you like that?"

Snow whimpered.

"There are a lot more of us then there are you," the Perri Ringleader said triumphantly.

"Okay, guys, plan," Mario instructed. "Get rid of this guy!"

The Ringleader laughed and bounded easily out of the ditch. Mario and his partners were not so lucky. After slipping down the wall again, Mario blew out a breath and said to his friends, "Okay, guys, new plan. Snow, sing!"

Snow looked dumbfounded for a moment but then grinned. She sang for a moment and the same red ring they had seen around her earlier appeared again. The dirt dried quickly, and the party was able to advance towards the Leader. It pivoted on one hind paw and hopped away. "Guys, guys! The moustache is-" it shouted, but it was muffled in the middle of it by Mario's hammer crashing down on it.

I wonder if I can control this thing," Snow thought aloud. Bracing herself for a burn, she grabbed the ring. To her surprise, she was able to hold it. She threw some of it at the Ringleader, who cried out in pain. It hopped back to its feet and jumped at Snow, but Goomessa and Koopetto intercepted it, each delivering a blow before it reached her. The Leader fell to the ground and made no further noise.

"Great," Goomessa muttered, "now all the rest of them know we're here too."

"It's okay," Mario assured her, "Octobust knew anyway, so the other enemies would probably find out soon enough."

"Yeah," Goomessa agreed briefly. "I bet the mountain is somewhere near here, though, so maybe we can get there before anything else finds us."

"Probably," Mario replied.

They were right; it was only another twenty minutes or so before they found themselves at the base of the mountain again.

"Well, here it is," Mario told the two who had not traveled the first time.

"It's nice," Koopetto commented.

"Yeah it is." Snow nodded. "If only that sky would clear up."

"The entrance was somewhere around here," Mario mumbled to himself. "To the right I think…"

Before long he stumble upon the entrance once more, his partners right behind him. Now that he looked at it more closely, Mario thought it looked as though someone had carved this entrance quite recently. Weird…

"Well, let's go inside," Goomessa suggested quietly.

Mario nodded and let the way inside Fever Peak, ready to challenge Octobust and take back what was rightfully not theirs.

* * *

**I think that's it! Sorry this part took so long, but school is a gigantic jerk (take from five to nine to do my homework my foot). Whatever, you got the part, so tell me what you think please! Have a good day!**

**By the way, I **_**still**_** haven't got a single suggestion for the name of a guardian, and it's not gonna be too long before Amber's name is going to be set in stone. So either you guys really like my ideas for names, or you don't care whether they have names or not.**

**Whichever it is, have a nice day.**


	22. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part VII

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Part seven of my first original story, Legend of the Clouds: Chapter Two coming up now!**

**Disclaimer: Seriously guys, you know what I do and don't own, so I'm gonna skip it for THE FIRST TIME EVER!**

* * *

The inside of Fever Peak was different to say the least from its charming exterior. Flames shot out of practically every surface, and the walls were made of large red boulders. Magma dripped from the ceiling, forcing Mario and his partners to step out of the way every few seconds. Mario put his face in his hands in dismay. _This isn't what I expected,_ he complained to himself. _I'd hope it was at least as good as Dofter Cave…Then again, Dofter cave wasn't all that great either. Wow, I'm being kinda whiny, aren't I?_

"I wish Levi was here," Snow griped. "Or Renee."

"Renee?" Koopetto repeated. "The cat?"

"Seriously, Snow, what's up with the cat and the names and the changing and the stuff?" Goomessa asked.

"Well, I kinda forgot her real name 'cause I lost the birth certificate. So I think up a new name for her each time. It's kinda sad I guess…" At the end of her final sentence, Snow sounded regretful.

"Oh." Goomessa looked down at her feet, wishing she hadn't asked.

"Okoopin is always telling me, 'nothing beats a sweater and jeans! You should always wear that cool sweater and those jeans of yours!' Sweater and jeans my foot!" Koopetto ranted, completely dropping the subject. "It's boiling in here!"

_Maybe I'm not the whiny one,_ Mario thought amusedly.

"No kidding," Goomessa whined. "I can't stand…" she trailed off. "Who's Okoopin anyway?"

"My stepmother," Koopetto grumbled.

"Come on! Step-moms are so cool! They give the coolest presents!" Goomessa insisted.

"Except the one that gives you this sweater!" Koopetto squirmed out of his shell and presented a blue wool sweater that read "LOVE THE WHALES" in bright pink.

"I think I'll be scarred for life," Snow whispered as Koopetto got his shell back into place. Then after a few moments, she added, "I'd like to know how an octopus lives in this."

"I'm not sure," Mario answered, "but he said he's Kaliente's son, so maybe their family is a kind of special super ultra fire octopus. Meh," he shrugged.

"Do you think we'll get to the room or whatever of this dude before or after we melt?" Goomessa groaned as the party walked on. "It has to be a hundred degrees in here."

"I know," Mario muttered. "Where's Fludd when I actually _want_ to see her?"

"Who's Fludd?" Goomessa asked confusedly.

"Nobody," Mario answered gruffly over his shoulder.

"Let's just find this-Ah!" Snow squealed and deftly dodged another falling drip of magma. "Ex_cuse_ me! As I was saying, let's just find this Octobust thing and get outta here."

But they didn't get far. Just as they were advancing across a ludicrously narrow strip of ground, to the sides of which were boiling lava, towards a large rock with an inexplicably placed smaller rock on it that made it look strangely like a door, a horrible shriek sounded from above them. Before any of them had time to move or speak, a strange red figure dropped down to the floor and shook it. Mario and his partners all fell to their knees-with the exception of Goomessa, who fell flat on her face.

Mario slowly brought himself to his feet and realized this enemy was nothing more that a giant red Spike Top. He had only seen these once before on a previous adventure, in Glitz Pit, Glitzville. They had been a bit difficult to fight, but nothing serious.

"Oh no you don't!" it cried. "You're not going to see King Octobust if I have anything to say about it!"

"Who are _you?_" Goomessa asked, hopping back up, followed by Mario's other two partners.

"I am the Sentient!" the Spike Top told her threateningly. "And I am here to make sure you do not get any farther!"

"Why can't you just move?" Mario sighed. "We don't want to pick a fight."

His partners stared at him with wide eyes. Since when did the great Super Mario ask an enemy kindly to "just move"? Something was definitely wrong.

"Because I'm getting a raise for this, stupid!" the so-called Sentient growled.

"Fine…" Mario grumbled as he traipsed over the rest of the narrow strip and was about to release his all-mighty hammer when he remembered Spike Tops had a defense of 5. Much too high for his hammer to achieve. Fumbling through his inventory he produced a POW Block, which floated high above him and remained in the air.

Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see his partners behind him. He was about to jump into the air to the POW Block when the Sentient clamored into its shell and spun directly at Mario.

Mario fell backwards, landing dangerously close to the edge of the floor. The Sentient stopped at the edge with hairline precision and turned back towards the party. "You think you could trip me that easily?" it laughed. "Think again, bozos!"

Mario pouted and searched his brain for a way to distract the Spike Top. "Oh, Snow, maybe you could do your fire thingy."

"Hey, Mario," Goomessa cut in, "have you ever seen a Spike Top before?"

Mario nodded.

"Cause they're kind of impervious to fire."

"Oh yeah." Mario laughed, embarrassed, and then decided to just hit the Sentient with his hammer. Even if it didn't hurt, it would distract him.

The Sentient laughed when he did so, ignoring Mario as he ran over and jumped at the POW Block. The ground shook again, and the Spike Top flipped on its back. Mario dashed back and landed a jump on the Sentient's stomach. It cried out in pain. Mario's partners each attacked the Sentient as well. Powerless to defend itself, it laid still as it was easily defeated.

"What an egotist," Snow giggled, not noticing the ironic stares given her by the others.

"Well, now that _that's_ over, we should keep going," Mario suggested. "Who knows how big his place is?"

The party made their way to the door again, opening it by the inexplicably placed rock that looked like a doorknob.

The next room was almost identical to the last; pretty much everything was some shade of red. The only thing that wasn't red was a strange blue circular figure above another door at the very end of the room. The room itself was quite narrow and short. The ceiling was barely twice as high as Mario.

I wonder what that blue thing is," Goomessa voiced his thoughts. "It looks important. We can probably hit it somehow, it's not that high."

I know how to control my…fire thingy, remember?" Snow pointed out.

"Okay, you do that," Goomessa suggested. "You can hit it from the floor right?"

Snow nodded simply, and then pranced towards the door. Koopetto shrugged and followed her.

"Mario, can I talk to you in that next room?" Goomessa whispered.

Mario looked confused, but complied. Right after the pair had entered the next room, leaving Snow to her job and Koopetto to…whatever he was going to do, Goomessa began to speak quietly.

"What is up with you?" she asked.

"What? I don't know what you're-"

"Well I do. We all do. You're being weird and vague…and you're just dazed all the time. Ever since we…" Goomessa thought back in her head. "Ever since we met Snow, you're all…freaky. Yeah, freaky."

"Have you been planning to say this since we got here?" Mario asked amusedly.

"That's not the point," Goomessa reminded him. "You're just being weird and dazed all the time."

"I'm not dazed," Mario defended.

"You walked…into a log…that was twenty feet tall…that was right in front of you…while we were shouting, 'Mario, there's a twenty-foot log in front of you!' Yeah, you're perfectly normal."

"Don't bring that up," Mario pleaded. "It was embarrassing enough."

"Stop changing the subject!" Goomessa hissed. "Remember how you were all getting in my face for being la-la-landy around Koopetto? Well, that's how you're acting now."

"Goomessa, I'm just really having a hard time with thinking about the guardians and all that. I don't know what it is, really, I just feel like this is going to be along time finding the Fragments, and-"

"I know what it is," Goomessa assured him. "You're worried about your friends and family and stuff cause Troy said he would vanish the entire Mushroom Kingdom, right? Didn't you wonder why I survived that? Troy threw me away. That's how I wound up in Gillisville. And if he cared enough to save _me_, then he must have saved Peach."

Mario heaved a sigh of relief. "Wait, what about Luigi?" he asked suddenly.

"Luigi?" Goomessa echoed.

"My brother," Mario told her.

"Your brother?" Goomessa repeated his sentence again.

"The green guy?"

"Oh! Him! Well, he-" Goomessa's face fell.

Mario let out a grunt of frustration. "He could be anywhere!" he cried. "I'm so worried about him. And everyone else in the Mushroom Kingdom too. I bet Troy kept his word about using the…darky…stuff…thing, and I just want to know what happened to all the people in the kingdom."

Goomessa didn't know what to say, so the two left the room. But she was saved the trouble of having to come up with a sympathetic reply when Koopetto walked up to them in silence. "Hi," he greeted them simply.

He saw Mario frowning, and then he put two fingers on the ends of Mario's mouth and pulled upwards. "I can always make you smile," he said grinning.

Mario laughed and stood up. "Thanks, Koopetto, I needed that," he told him.

"No prob," Koopetto answered. "Anywho, Snow got the switch thing hit. I wonder what it was supposed to do."

But as he spoke, a low rumbling ensued and a slab of the wall fell away.

"Well that answers that question."

The party walked cautiously into the hole made by the fallen slab. Inside was not much more than a few torches-and a large brown chest in the middle of the room.

"Is that what I think it is?" Goomessa asked begrudgingly.

"No," Mario replied, "the curse chests are always black."

"Huh" was Goomessa's only response.

Mario walked up to the chest and fidgeted with the lock. It came apart after a few moments and the chest sprung open.

Reaching into the chest, Mario fumbled through with his hand. After a moment he felt something smooth and hard in his hand. With some effort he hauled it out and held it up for inspection.

It was a hammer, the same shape as his own. But the top on this one was light blue in color. Mario felt it and suspected it was made of some strong element, but he couldn't place its identity. The handle was made of steel as well. It was much different from the one he had currently.

"That's cool-looking," Goomessa said quietly.

"I wonder how it got made," Snow mused.

"What do you mean?" Mario asked, looking up from his new weapon.

"Well, someone, or lots of someones must've spent a lot of time building it. And then the question of how it got here. You don't think it magically appeared, do you?" she added when Mario looked up at the ceiling in thought.

"Sometimes, when I get these new things, I get the feeling they did."

Snow shrugged.

"Well, it looks like we don't have anything else to do here, so we should explore the rest of this place," Goomessa suggested.

The group left the room and made for the door Goomessa and Mario had gone through. Mario fiddled with the knob and opened the door.

Goomessa and Mario had not taken any time to explore the room before, but the party saw just what it was like now. Only two yards in front of them was a ledge, below which was magma that spanned a twenty foot gap to the other door.

"This isn't good," Snow mumbled.

"No it isn't. How could we possibly get over there?" Mario thought out loud.

"There should be some sort of secret tunnel or something like that," Goomessa pointed out.

So the group starts searching around the walls and floor for some way to evade the lava. Before long, Mario felt a ridge on the left wall. Feeling it all the way around, he discovered it stretched from the floor upwards and then back to the floor. "Hey guys, I think this thing is an entrance. Could you help me get it open?"

His partners agreed and walked over to his side. After many failed attempts to move it, including an "open, sesame" from Goomessa, Mario got an idea. Maybe his new hammer could break rocks. He whipped it out and mashed it against the door. It cracked slightly. He hit it a few more times, crashing it to the floor eventually. Inside was a tunnel that led to the right. The party walked slowly through it, expecting a trap of some sort, but also picking up a shiny red key along the way.

At the end of the tunnel was the other ledge where the door was located. The party entered and took a look around.

This room was again not much different from the others, with red walls and floor. But the room was completely round. At equal intervals around its circumference were five doors of different colors. The\one they had just entered through was orange and rocky, and the four others were metal, colored red, blue, yellow, and green. Each had a lock on it.

"This is interesting," Goomessa said. "I guess it's a sort of color puzzle; we'll find four keys, and each one goes to a different door."

"I guess that means the one we've got goes to the red door," Mario suggested.

The party walked to the red door and Mario inserted the key into the lock. The lock fell away with a clunk and they went inside the door.

Inside was a large waterwheel. But as Mario had expected, it was powered by the magma that flowed around the floor. Mario decided not to ask how a wooden wheel could withstand hot molten lava, and instead just looked around for a staircase or ramp or something.

He found it; after taking a few steps, he looked up to find a flight of stairs leading upwards. The only problem was that it was suspended in midair.

Sighing, he resigned himself to looking for some switch or lever. He figured he'd have to use the waterwheel to get over the lava, as there was no other way. Jumping reluctantly onto one tooth of the wheel, he waited while it slowly brought him back to non-moving ground. His partners followed. After jumping over another pool of lava, he saw a switch at the other end of the ledge he was standing on. "Easy enough," he said to himself as the staircase came down.

At the top of the stairs was a raised platform, with another raised ledge directly across from it. A glimmering yellow key lay on the second platform. Since it was too far for Mario to jump, Koopetto shot his shell as retrieved it.

Mario was about to leave when he saw a shadow in the corner of his eye. Turning around, he was just in time to see a second giant Spike top come crashing down. This one had a yellow shell.

"Oh, come to take my key, have you?" it demanded. "I don't think so! I am to guard this key with my life! Don't think you'll get it!"

Mario was alarmed for a moment, but then he remembered he had thought to bring two POW Blocks with him before leaving. Breaking his other one out, he jumped under it and watched the Spike Top flip over haplessly.

After he and his partners had defeated the intruder (or technically they were the intruders but what the heck ever) the party left the way they had come. Followed by his friends, Mario walked over to the yellow door and broke the lock.

This room was completely square, save for a large hole in the middle. A set of stairs led to a chest at the far end. But before Mario could move, a new portion of floor rose to fill the hole. A blue Spike Top rested on the new part of the floor. The set of stairs fell through the floor, as if there could only be so much floor at a time. Mario didn't know what to do; he was out of POW Blocks.

Then he remembered his new hammer again. Dashing up to the Spike Top, he threw his hammer down on top of it. It winced but did not show pain otherwise. His hammer must not have been quite strong enough.

Koopetto's eyes lit up. Getting into his shell, he began to spin. Mario expected him to shoot himself at the Spike Top after a few seconds, but he kept going. Eventually, sparks began to fly around him. The Spike Top, realizing what he was doing, got into its shell as well. But Koopetto was faster. After another few seconds, Koopetto caught fire. Then he threw himself at the Spike Top, who had no way to stop him.

The Spike Top was now visibly damaged. Mario told Koopetto to do this again. The Spike Top again got into its own shell and aimed for Snow. Koopetto missed this time and Snow was struck in the side. Mario threw her a Mushroom (cannibalism FTW) and ran towards the Spike Top to hit it again with his hammer. The Spike Top fell to the ground and lay still. The stairs and large portion of floor returned to where they had been before.

Before Mario retrieved the key, he decided to see what was down in the hole. Telling his partners to remain where they were, he made the jump. After picking himself up and dusting himself off, he looked around.

Only two things caught his eye. One was a large coin with a Mushroom imprinted on it. The other was a red switch. He ran over and picked the coin up, interested in what it could be. Then he stepped on the switch, revealing a ramp leading back up to the room with the chest.

Goomessa gasped when she saw the coin. "The Mushroom! That's a Growth Coin," she explained. "It makes you stronger if you possess it. Like, how strong you can attack will be better and all that. And I think you can learn a new attack too."

Mario smiled knowingly. He had seen objects like these before. The Super Blocks and Shine Sprites had let his partners learn new attacks before. He understood how it worked.

All of his partners looked at him expectantly. Who should he give it to? After thinking for a moment, he decided on a policy. He would go in order whenever he found a Growth Coin. This way, those of his partners who had practiced and knew their moves the best would learn knew ones. After thinking over this idea, he decided to stick with it.

After he explained this to his partners, he handed the coin to Goomessa. Having no hands, Goomessa picked it up in her mouth. There was a short beam of light around Goomessa for a few seconds, and then as quickly as it had appeared, it dissipated.

Goomessa looked around, as if expecting something about her to have changed. "I'd put a fair bet on you can use Multibonk now," Mario told her.

"Really? Cool!" Goomessa replied. "I think this is awesome."

Koopetto and Snow chuckled at the way she said _awesome_, as if she were receiving a tiara that was also the key to a magical unicorn stable.

"I'm glad you're happy, Goomessa," Mario mused. "Now we should get going. Now that we can get that key, we only have two more rooms to go to."

After walking up to the chest and procuring a predictably blue key, Mario and his partners left the room and headed for the blue door. Inside this room was a large fan, inside which Mario could see a sparkle of green. They would have to find a way inside the fan.

But there was no way off the platform they were standing on. All around them was boiling bubbling lava that blew up and popped menacingly like bubblegum.

"Are there any switches or anything here?" Mario wondered out loud. "There has to be something…There's always something."

Snow looked up at the ceiling and saw the faintest sign of a cone-shaped switch directly above the fan. "I bet I can hit that with my fire," she said excitedly, pointing to the switch. "Although you guys might wanna duck," she added.

Mario did as he was told; Goomessa was short enough to avoid Snow's fire ring; and Koopetto got into his shell and was easily able to be missed by the ring. Snow began to sing and her big circle of heat formed around her. Grabbing a handful, she threw it at the switch. Luckily the fire did not slow or fall too far and hit the switch after a few moments.

Mario got back up, followed by Koopetto and Goomessa. They were surprised to see the lava was draining from the room. After a few seconds, another switch became visible, standing on a small pedestal. But it drained farther than they expected. After a fall of about thirty feet, the lava suddenly stopped. Mario could see the very bottom was rather bare-although there was a spring there. Mario didn't understand why there was a spring there, but he didn't have time to ponder the fact, because after another moment, the lava began to rise again, faster this time. Mario directed Koopetto to throw himself at the switch quickly. The Koopa did so, and when the switch had been hit, a large bridge made of dried molten rock rose from the floor ten yards below. Mario seriously didn't understand the mechanics of this volcano, but he had a horrible feeling they would be barbecued if they didn't hurry. After shuddering at the thought, he ordered his partners to follow him and dashed across the bridge.

At the end of the bridge was a large grated gate. Mario looked upwards and saw a flight of stairs leading to the inside of the fan. _Perfect,_ Mario thought as he jumped deftly up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs, Mario found not only the key, but a switch as well. After pocketing the key and glancing down at the rising lava (which, as he had expected, was rising higher than where it had started) he jumped on the switch.

The fan stopped suddenly, and the lava stopped where it was. It then lowered to the point it had originally lay.

Mario heaved a sigh of relief and began to backtrack to the entrance, his partners right behind him.

In the last room, Mario walked to the green door and opened it with his last key.

He was surprised to find nothing more in the room than another switch. Expecting a trap, he advanced towards it, but no final Sentient jumped out at them as he pressed this switch.

He did, however, hear a rumbling that lasted for a few seconds. Mario rushed out to investigate, and stopped dead when he saw a staircase rising out of the floor in front of him.

"What the heeeeeeaaaaaaaashed potatoes is going on here?" he cried.

"Nice save…and it looks like it's a big staircase," Snow replied casually.

Mario shot her a no-duh look before turning back towards the stairs. "I have a bad feeling Octobust is at the top of those stairs though…" he mused.

"Like at the top of the volcano do ya think?" Goomessa asked. "Might explain how he could be here cause it's not as hot up there."

"Lucky for him," Koopetto mumbled as the party advanced towards the stairs. "Sweater. Stupid sweater."

Mario and his partners climbed the increasingly tall winding flight of stairs that wound around the sides of the volcano after they made their way outside. Luckily not meeting any enemies along the way, they reached the top after a few minutes, bracing themselves for whatever may lay at the top.

As they had expected, Octobust sat there, looking dignified as all get out, and it was a few moments before he actually saw Mario and his partners there. He blinked a few times, and then told them:

"I didn't expect you to come."

* * *

**I guess that's it! I actually thought about splitting this part into two parts, but I decided intensity is better than efficiency.**

**You might have noticed I have not incorporated badges, leveling up, or a way for Peach to "talk" to Mario yet. As for the badges: I don't frickin wanna! I'm a fat lazy American! As for the leveling up: I still don't wanna! I know it's not much of a Paper Mario story without it, but too bad. And as for Peach communicating with Mario, just wait. I forgot last time, but I know what I is going to do this time.**

**By the way, you win a free Internet if you know where "tiara that was also a key to a magical unicorn stable". I don't own the thing that it comes from though. Suckish.**

**You also win 5,000 nothing points if you know who I got "you win a free Internet" from. I promise, I don't like to steal things, and if the person doesn't like me using it, I'll remove it straight away.**

**What do nothing points do? Well they do absolutely nothing, but all you do is say that you have 5,000 nothing points, and people suddenly respect you as nobility of the highest calibur.**

**Good day to you all!**


	23. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part VIII

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here it comes: Legend of the Clouds: Chapter Two: Part Eight. Dang…almost two chapters of this already finished. Whoa and stuff.**

**And now for a couple of notes from our sponsor.**

**Sponsor (**_**spoken very quickly in a nasally voice and with an increasingly vivacious tone)**_**. ****Note: The following may not be appropriate for children under the age of 0. If you wish to speak to an operator, too bad cause they all quit yesterday. If only you had a time machine…but you don't, which brings us back to too bad, they all quit yesterday. Also note that this story is not actually magic. Story is for entertainment purposes only and does not practice sorcery. No animals were hurt in the making of this story as far as you know. Don't try the following at home, for these people are part of a story which means they can do anything they friggin want. If you are not completely satisfied, please call 1-800-605-3936 to return your copy and get a full money-back guarantee. We cannot be held responsible if you get fat from eating too many doughnuts. We don't sell doughnuts. We sell stories. Should the cabin pressure change throughout this flight, oxygen mask will dispense above your seat. Please secure your own mask before assisting your children. Why? Cause we said so. And whatever you do, don't pick up that $100 bill in front of you, as it will explode on you if you do and make your intestines fly into space. And millions of years later, when an astronaut finds your intestines, they'll sell them to science, and then some dude you don't know will get your bloody exploded intestines. Is that what you want? IT'S A GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACY, MAN! Also, please do not raise your arms in the air, as it is dangerous when the ride is moving at more than ten miles per hour. Driver only carries $20 in change. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. Hark the Herald Angels Sing.**

**OMG A PIECE OF RABID CHEESE!**

**Disclaimer: And now that I've had my fun being a total freaknugget and not saying the disclaimer last part, I suppose I should this time. I don't own Mario, blahbitty blahbitty blah, I only own my original characters and all that cheese. You know what I'm talking about. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKIN BOUT!**

**Also for some reason, I can't write toady without listening to Lady Gaga. Especially Fashion.**

**Also I have a quote that I really like: "At the end of the day, you're another day older."**

**-Les Miserables**

* * *

Mario stepped back in surprise. So all this time Octobust had actually expected them to flee. Mario was sure that…

He didn't have time to think because said octopus was slithering towards them at a frightening pace. He asked Goomessa to give a report on Octobust and his partners jumped to action, running at the boss with all they had.

"Well, you know who he is," Goomessa told him. "But he's, like, I think, supposed to have an HP of 30, or something. I dunno. But he can attack with his tentacles or fire or ice breath, so you should be careful. He doesn't have any defense…he's an octopus, what would you expect?"

Octobust simply laughed uproariously and drew a tentacle across Snow's face, sending her flying over the mouth of the volcano and to land with a sickening thud. It was only then that Mario realized just how careful they'd have to be if they wanted to avoid becoming the latest ingredient in Octobust's favorite hot soup.

* * *

Skipping and gracefully humming a tune to herself, Levi suddenly heard a distant sound from somewhere eastwards. She spun around absent-mindedly, trying to discern the source of the sound. It was a harsh, chilling laugh. Levi snapped to attention when she actually remembered the situation with Mario and Snow and…and those other people…Wow, was she really that tired?

_I've gotta go help them,_ she told herself. _I hope they're okay. Now which way did they go again?_

* * *

Snow brushed herself off as she stood up. "Snow, are you okay?" Mario shouted over the volcano towards his partner.

Snow turned towards him. "Sure, but I think it's time for my Emergency Lollipop anyway!" She pulled from her pocket a large, half-eaten, muffin-shaped lollipop. As she was about to bite into it however, Octobust slammed his tentacles on the ground again, making the sucker fly out of her hands and into the volcano.

"Hey!" she shouted, folding her arms, looking as gruff and serious as a mushroom with a ripped purple skirt and a trippy-looking pink sash could.

But Mario wasn't paying attention to her brief statement. He was focused on something else. As she had flown over the mouth of the volcano, something around her neck had come out of her dress. It was a necklace of some sort.

He was about to ask what it was when he suddenly remembered there was a giant fire-and-ice-breathing octopus sitting in front of him, and he might want to help do something about it.

He rushed up to the boss and drew his hammer out. Koopetto saw what he was doing and quickly distracted Octobust, and Mario had a clear shot. Octobust absolutely leaped after being hit with the hammer, and it was quite lucky (for him, not Mario) that the rocks were quite easy to get a grip on.

Snow dashed over to Octobust and shot a round of flames at him. Octobust jumped at the impact and glared her.

At this he jumped into the air again, throwing Mario and his partners to the ground. While they were getting up, Octobust leaped into the volcano. Mario was dumbfounded.

But as he was trying to figure out why Octobust would jump into a volcano, the octopus jumped back out, followed closely by a lava geyser. "Great, just great," Mario grumbled. "This is just getting worse every second."

Koopetto got into his shell and threw a precise shot at the boss, who cringed at the hit.

"We're getting him!" Mario announced.

"You don't say!" Octobust made another attempt to laugh but coughed in the middle. It didn't stop him though from being able to slam Mario in the smug face with a tentacle, almost sending him off the volcano.

Goomessa ran at him and demonstrated her Multibonk, bouncing over Octobust's head several times before he whipped her back to the ground.

Mario stood himself up and returned the glare Octobust had given Snow. Octobust snorted and then began to lower his head.

"What's he doing?" Mario asked.

Nobody had time to answer, because at that moment, Octobust's sharp crown flew off his head and struck Mario in the legs. Mario's knees gave and he fell to the ground.

Only Goomessa had not been looking at Mario when this happened-she didn't know what had transpired. "You know, that crown of his looks sharp, and he might…oh." Her face fell when she saw Mario.

Octobust opened his mouth wide and began to shoot ice breath. Everyone stared in a terrified stupor. Mario ordered everyone to run, but none of his partners avoided it fast enough.

_Wonderful,_ Mario thought. _Now there's a fire-and-ice-breathing octopus that wants to kill me, a giant lava geyser, and I don't have anyone to help me. Now all I need is the giant creepy spikes._

Mario wished he hadn't thought the last part, because shortly afterwards, Octobust jumped into the air again and landed on a spire. Mario hadn't noticed before, but a switch rested on top of it. As Octobust landed on the switch, Mario heard a crunching sound below and behind him. Looking down, he saw that large silver spikes were rising out of the base of the mountain, and they were beginning to advance towards the top.

_Nice,_ Mario thought hopelessly.

He ran up to Octobust once again and delivered another blow with his hammer. The boss winced again, more visibly this time, but returned immediately with a stream of fire breath that caught Mario's shoe and began to spread quickly.

Mario panicked; now there was a fire-and-ice-breathing octopus that wanted to kill him, a giant lava geyser, he didn't have any help, there were spikes advancing towards him at a frightening rate…plus he was on fire. He tried to stamp his shoe out, but it was in vain.

Then he suddenly remembered he had a way to get rid of everything-his star power. He figured the Heal Beam could unfreeze his partners and rid himself of the fire.

Reaching into his magical bottomless pocket, he pulled out the first Cloud Fragment he had procured and held it to the sky. A swirl of gray light appeared around him and his partners for a few seconds, during which Mario felt a surge of energy flow through him. As this happened, the ice covering his partners began to melt away, and the fire, which now had almost spread over his whole shoe, suddenly burned out.

All of his partner's heaved a giant shiver before looking gratefully at Mario.

"Did you know…" Snow asked, "…that that was _really cold_?"

"I guessed so," Mario replied. "By the way, Snow, what's that on your neck?"

"What on my neck?" Snow looked down, bewildered, and saw the necklace Mario was referring to. "Whoa," she mumbled. "I didn't even remember this was here. Heh." Then talking to Mario, she explained, "Levi made this necklace for me. It has "LEVI" in beads on it. I've been wearing it every day since she made it for me two years ago. I made a "SNOW" one for her too. I wonder if she still wears it."

"That's very-" Mario began, but he received a face full of tentacle before he finished.

"Ex_cuse_ me!" Mario exclaimed. "Thank you very much! Let's go! This guy probably can't take too many more hits!"

His partners murmured agreement and began to attack, taking a few hits from Octobust, but it wasn't long before the boss stopped attacking entirely. His eyes suddenly rolled into the back of his head. The geyser suddenly fell. The crunching of the spikes moving upwards stopped. Octobust clumsily tried to move around and then did just what Mario expected. He rolled around the mouth of the volcano and dropped in. There was a loud crash and everyone fell.

Snow's necklace flew off her neck. "No! Come back!" she shouted at it as though it could hear.

The necklace began to descend onto the volcano. "No! Levi!" Snow screeched it dropped in a straight line into the lava. She then stared in horror as it met the molten liquid with a sickening splash. Snow dropped to her knees. Fearing she would do something suicidal, Mario rushed to her side and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"No," Snow sobbed.

Koopetto carefully made his way over and put his fingers on the sides of Snow's mouth, pulling upwards. "I can always…make you smile?" he suggested.

Mario shot him a warning glance. He dropped his fingers immediately. Snow's artificial smile returned to a frown.

"She made it for me…and I never really appreciated it…until right before it was gone."

She looked up, however, when she heard a rumbling sound. Mario and his other partners looked around as well. Mario suddenly realized the sound was coming from the volcano. _IT'S GOING TO ERUPT!_ Mario thought in horror.

But it didn't happen. The rumbling stopped and Mario opened his eyes. Cautiously peering in to the volcano, he was shocked to discover the lava had disappeared. Octobust lay at the bottom of the mountain, looking quite deformed from extensive lava exposure and lying in an unnatural fashion. Mario noticed a small round yellow object next to him, but couldn't figure out what it was.

"Whoa, he's actually kinda scary-looking like that," Goomessa remarked.

"He must have the Fragment," Mario pointed out. "But how can we get down?"

Goomessa's eyes lit up. "The spring! That's what that yellow thing is! I bet it's the spring. We could get down that way. It's the best plan we've got anyway."

"It's the _only_ plan we've got," Mario reminded her.

Goomessa rolled her eyes. "Can't we just try?"

Anyway, it sounded like a sound plan, Mario had to admit, so he took a deep breath and jumped, aiming for the yellow speck. Sure enough, after a few seconds, he hit the soft surface of a spring, bounced a few times in the air, and landed softly on the ground. Goomessa had been right. "Hey, guys, its' okay!" he called up. "Come down!"

He waited patiently while his partners made the leap of faith into the room. After they had, they turned towards Octobust's body.

But then Mario noticed that it was moving. Very slightly moving, but still moving. Walking slowly up to it, he prodded one of the tentacles.

Suddenly Octobust threw his tentacles to the ground. Mario jumped back, terrified. Octobust rolled to a "sitting" position. Then something odd happened.

Mario had forgotten all about the gold rings Octobust was wearing on his tentacles. But he was reminded of them now that they slid slowly off, as though they had suddenly gotten to large for him to wear. Mario walked up to them and looked them over. He picked three of them up, discovering they were much lighter than he expected. Koopetto and Snow grabbed the others.

As they did the room underwent a familiar change. The red boulders became magnificent white crystals. A gray cage lay in the middle, with a tall cylindrical indent in the middle.

Mario smiled and motioned for his partners to follow him, making his way towards the cage. When he and his partners were all there, he placed his three rings inside the hold in the cage, telling his partners to do the same. Once all eight rings fit snugly on top of each other, the cage began to fade away, leaving the rings still in a column. Curious, Mario poked one, but the stack did not fall. It did float upwards however and left a crouching figure in a white tunic.

The person stood up and looked at Mario and his partners. It was the Toad spirit guardian. "Mario, you're here," he greeted him. "I assume you defeated that foul…thing?"

Mario nodded.

"Thank you," the Toad said. "I cannot thank you enough. My name is Ramone Steils," he told the party. "I suppose you found the Cloud Fragment as well?"

Mario pointed in the air. Ramone looked up and smiled wide. "You are all wonderful," he exclaimed. "Now you'll be able to use the special move-Amber told you about star power, right?" he asked, with a touch of disdain on "Amber".

Mario nodded again.

"Good. You can use the special move Time Warp. It causes your opponents to be slowed down so you can have a better shot. Now, um, how does one get out of here? It's positively boiling and it doesn't look like there's any way out!"

"Sweater," Koopetto mumbled.

Goomessa called from across the room, "There's a ladder here! Come on over!"

The rest of the party and Ramone complied and saw the ladder she was talking about. It looked quite sturdy (again Mario decided not to question how it hadn't burned long ago from the lava that had been here a few minutes ago), so Mario decided they should climb it. Hopefully nothing undesirable was at the top.

After the whole gang was at the top, Mario looked around and recognized the room they were in; he saw the fan and bridge they had used. Telling Ramone to follow him and his partners, Mario began to lead the way back through the dungeon.

When they reached the room where they had found Mario's new hammer, however, someone Mario hadn't seen in…a few hours came bursting into the room holding a gray bundle in her arms. "Levi, what are you doing here??" He almost yelled, he was so surprised.

"I heard evilly laughter and someone screaming on top of the mountain and I thought you were in trouble and I wanted to help and I was worried so I came running all the way here and you're…not in trouble," Levi explained breathlessly. "What happened?"

"We killed the octopus guy," Goomessa told her.

"Who's that?" Levi asked, pointing at Ramone.

Mario sighed. "I told you about the spirit guardians, right, Levi?" Levi nodded. "Well, this is Ramone. He's one of them."

"Oh!" Levi giggled. "So you can do, like, magical things and stuff?"

Ramone looked surprised. "No, actually, I can't. The spirit guardians aren't actually magical."

Mario was confused. "But Amber could teleport us to Paratonis. What about that?"

"Oh, those are actually very limited powers vested in us by the state…excuse me, vested in us by the Cloud of Dreams. Amber's powers were already running out when she telelported you, and by now we've got nothing.

"We're just regular people, you know. We won't live forever. Being a spirit guardian may sound like wonderful fun, but it's really no different from being a normal person.

"Overestimation…It's a powerful thing, isn't it?" he asked to no one in particular.

Mario was amazed, but managed to nod anyway. He was surprised at the way both guardians so far had enlightened them, with a small moral at the end.

"So wait, what's that?" Koopetto asked, pointing to the bundle in Levi's arms and breaking Mario out of his trance.

"What, this? Oh, this is Snow's cat. I got halfway there and then I realized I forgot all about Louisa-"

"Who's Louisa?" Snow asked.

"Louisa is your cat, Snow," Levi told her.

"How would you know?"

"I…have the birth certificate," Levi explained.

"One thing I don't get," Goomessa broke in, "is how you have a birth certificate for your _cat._"

Snow looked at her. "Rich? Famous? Money? Ring a bell?"

Goomessa nodded with an embarrassed expression on her face.

"Oh…" Snow suddenly drooped. "Speaking of forgetting things…Levi, do you remember the necklace you made for me, like, two years ago?"

Levi looked at Snow with an amazed expression. "Yeah I do. I thought you had-"

"I had," Snow interrupted her. "But then I looked at it, and I…I was so happy that I…and, then, after we beat Octobust, it…well, I tripped, and…"

"Thank you so much, Snow!" Levi rushed up and, after placing Louisa on the ground, forced Snow into a bone-crushing hug.

"What are you doing? I thought you'd be way mad!" Snow told her sister.

"I could never be mad…after you were actually glad about the necklace, how could I be mad?"

Mario smiled at this rather awkwardly happy family moment as the gang left the mountain to try and find…what had Snow called it? Notre Saveur, that's right.

But as they walked through the forest, Mario couldn't stop thinking about what Amber and Ramone had said when they were saved.

"_All shapes and sizes…just like all living creatures…"_

"_Overestimation…It's a powerful thing, isn't it?"_

* * *

**And there you have it! Done and done! You might also have noticed that star power was missing at the end of chapter 1, but if you look back at it, you'll see I added it in.**

**And with nothing else to say, I say goodbye. See ya!**


	24. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Part IX

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here it comes: Legend of the Clouds: Chapter Two: Part Nine. So you guys better hold on to her underwear.**

**And I don't own Mario or anything, just my own characters. I also don't own Charlie the Unicorn or the Phantom of the Opera.**

**By the way, I was wondering, do any of you understand Snow's and Levi's names? You know, Snow T.=Snotty, even though she isn't so much anymore. And Levi T.=Levity. You know, as in happiness and gaiety? That's what they mean.**

* * *

When the gang finally reached RitzelTown, Mario heaved a sigh of relief. As impressive as the boat Snow had made was, it was almost dead by the time the crew had seen land. Mario decided the party should pay another quick visit to Gillis. Levi insisted she be allowed to come, and eventually Mario decided what was the harm?

Halfway to the pipe leading out, however (which the gang had a difficult time finding as it was around four in the morning), Mario suddenly felt very hungry. While this was not at all breaking news, he reflected on what he'd had to eat that day. Scrambled eggs and a sandwich? Huh. He looked at the others, who seemed to share the same thoughts.

First Snow insisted she put on new clothes so no one would recognize her; and once she had done that, the gang scurried off to find a restaurant, and after a few minutes, they stopped at a cute-looking establishment with a large sign above it that said "Delilah Delight". Inside, they asked for a table, and not much of interest really happened in the restaurant, except Snow made a rather amusing remark when asked for her order:

"I'd like two boiled eggs, one of them so undercooked it's actually runny, the other so overcooked it's about as easy to eat as rubber; also grilled bacon that has been left on the plate to get cold; burnt toast that crumbles away as soon as you touch it with a knife; butter straight from the deep-freeze so that it is impossible to spread; and pot of very weak coffee, lukewarm."

The waitress, whose nametag read Olivia, looked at her bewilderedly. "That's a complicated order, ma'am," she explained, blinking in surprise. "It might be difficult."

"Oh!" Snow laughed. "I'm sure you'll do very well, that's exactly what you gave me the other day." She then closed her menu and handed it nonchalantly to Olivia, followed by the others.

"What was that?" Mario asked, shocked.

"I dunno," Snow shrugged. "But it's true."

The gang finished their meals and started back towards the pipe to Paratonis. They would have made it too, but right before they exited the city, Koopetto tripped on a pebble. Snow stepped on his jeans and tripped on top of him, her bonnet and sunglasses falling off as she did so.

By some unimaginable power of obsession, a couple of citizens saw the gang and promptly screamed, "IT'S SNOW T.! GET HER!" A few dozen of Snow's fans seized her and started towards a large building that read "Darell's Record Company".

"That was…odd," Levi remarked as the gang headed toward the building the screaming fans and Snow had disappeared into.

Inside, the crew saw all of the fans yelling at a man at a front desk, who was trying to calm them down with great effort.

"Please desist, madams and sirs! We will figure this whole situation out soon!" he cried. "I will call Mr. Darrel!" That last sentence seemed to partially calm them down, and they waited patiently while the man spoke into an intercom: "Mr. Darrel, could we see you in the lobby immediately. We have an important emergency that must be handled now."

Presently, a tall Koopa in a lieutenant uniform stepped out of a one-way door. Mario guessed this was Mr. Darrel, but as the Koopa stepped aside to reveal a rather stout Goomba in shirt and slacks with a nametag reading Lemmy Darrel, he realized this must be the man.

"Hello, Remy," he greeted the front deskman. "What's the emer-oh…" He cut himself off as he saw Snow struggling to get out of the fans' grips.

"Snow T., you're finally back!" he cried. "How could you be gone so long?"

"Will you let me down?" Snow asked impatiently.

"Where have you been?" Lemmy raised his voice.

"Out! That's where I've been!" Snow raised her voice as well.

"Why?" Darrel asked confusedly.

"Well, because-let me down already!" she shouted to the fans. They promptly dropped her to the tiled floor. _"Thank you,"_ she whispered, nursing a bump on her forehead.

"Anyway, I was out because I wanted to go to Lucifer's Isle and I also ended up helping Mario find some…Cloud thingy. It was great. And now I'm back. Happy?"

"Yes, I'm happy." Mr. Darrel suddenly sounded excited. "We could, um, make a movie out of this! We could put everything you did on the Isle on the big screen! Sounds great, doesn't it? Oh, we'll make tons! Tons, I tell you!"

"I don't-" Snow began.

"Oh, and I guess your…um…friends could come too. Personally, I think they'd just be a nuisance if you know what I mean. But anyway, I had your tailor design the greatest look for you to use at your next concert, but I know it would be wonderful on you in the movie!"

Snow finally got a chance to speak. "Hey, Lemmy, you know where that would look great?"

"Where?"

"At my farewell concert."

Darrel blinked a few times in confusion. "That's funny, I thought somehow you said 'farewell concert'. Funny, huh?"

Snow narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Fare-well-con-cert. You know, Lemmy, this life is great and all, but I'm…how old am I again? Fifteen?"

Darrel nodded.

"I'm fifteen! I have enough. I don't need this anymore do I?"

"Sure you do," Darrel answered.

"No I don't. I mean, I've never even left this place before yesterday! I want to go out and-"

"Snow T., you don't know what you're doing," Darrel insisted.

"I do know what I'm doing, okay? I want to see the greener grass on the other side."

"But I thought the grass was greener here," Lemmy squeaked.

"_Used_ to be greener," Snow said simply.

Darrel suddenly thought of something. "You can't quit. _You can't._ Your contracts say so!"

Snow's eye twitched. "Really? You're trying to tell me what to do?"

Darrel nodded.

"Oh yeah?" she demanded, really yelling for the first time. "You tell my lawyers and contractors and accountants and writers and recorders that they can shove a Grammy up all their noses for all I care! Yeah, you tell them that!" And then right in the Goomba's face, "I quit! For real!"

She stormed out of the building, followed by the rest of the gang. "You think she means it?" Darrel asked Remy.

"I should say so," Remy answered, "considering she didn't even open the door. That's going to cost a lot to replace!"

* * *

The party, Levi, and Ramone, afterwards finally made it into the pipe to Paratonis, and began to search for Gillisville. Snow rejected all attempts at conversation. Mario sighed after a while, not just because of Snow but of something else as well.

Trying to find Gillisville was proving to be quite annoying. Mario hadn't thought of it before, but because Amber had teleported them here last time, Mario had no clue where the entrance to Gillisville might be. And Paratonis, though not incredibly large, was just big enough that Mario got himself and everyone else lost several times.

"Hey," Goomessa said suddenly after Mario found himself looking at the same For Rent sign for the fifth time, "don't we have, like a map of this place? Didn't we get one so we could find our way to RitzelTown?"

Mario looked confusedly at her, and then it suddenly hit him; she was absolutely right. They had indeed received a map at the Tourist Center last time they had been here. He had completely forgotten, but it was true. Mario searched through his pocket again and found the map. Pulling it out, he examined it and looked for something that might say Gillisville.

He found it after a few moments. About another quarter mile away was another pipe, next to which read in microscopic letters, "To Gillisville".

He informed the others of this, and the started off towards the pipe. Just as Mario saw the pipe with a sign saying the same as the map next to it, Levi began to hum a tune.

"What are you singing?" Mario inquired.

Levi did not answer, but instead continued singing instead of humming.

_All you have to do is_

_Put a banana in your ear_

_Put a ripe banana right into your-_

"Levi!" Mario cried. "Please stop. I think I'll be scarred for life."

Levi sulked for a few seconds, but then brightened up again as the gang stepped into the pipe to Gillisville.

* * *

Mario knocked on the door to Gillis's house. "You know, this place is _really_-oh!" Levi cut herself off as Gillis answered the door, looking rather tired.

"Mario, did you know by chance that it happens to be_ five in the morning?"_

"Sorry, Gillis," Mario said, "but we have good news."

"Good news? Really?"

"Come on, Ramone!" Mario called down the steps. The Toad walked up between Mario and Snow and greeted Gillis. Gillis fainted.

Mario rushed inside and dragged Gillis to his feet, shaking him afterwards.

"Wha? What's going on…? Phantom of the Opera!" Gillis suddenly shouted.

Mario shook him again.

"Oh, right! Mario, what did you say again?"

"I said we found the next guardian," Mario explained. "And also the next Fragment." He held out the stack of rings for Gillis to see. The Koopa looked ready to faint again. Swallowing, he said breathlessly, "Sir Steils! It's such a pleasure to meet you and-"

"It's Ramone," Ramone told him, holding up a hand for silence.

"Sure thing, sir. I can't believe you have rescued two of the guardians! You guys are, just…wow."

"How's that for good news?" Snow laughed. Apparently she had got over Darrel.

Gillis turned to her. "Wait a moment," he requested. "I know you. You're, um, you're…"

"Snow T.," she told him. "It's a pleasure."

"All mine," Gillis replied. Snow laughed again.

"Anyway, like I said, you guys are great," Gillis continued. "Two Fragments already…"

"Got any idea where the next one might be?" Mario asked hopefully.

Gillis thought for a moment, then blinked a few times. "I think I have," he answered. "Ferris Sands. It's a big desert. I can definitely assume the next guardian would be there."

"How do you know all of these places?" Koopetto asked.

"I've traveled a lot in my youth."

"I'd think you were still _in_ your youth," Ramone commented.

"No, I'm actually thirty-five," Gillis told him.

Mario looked amusedly at Gillis; one could swear he was only twenty.

"How would you know the next guardian would be there anyway?" Goomessa asked him.

"Oh, I don't _know_, per se, but I have strong feelings about it. I'm somewhat of a psychic sometimes. Plus, the Ferris Sands are really dangerous and infested with enemies, so it makes sense."

"Oh, goody," Mario muttered.

"By the way," Gillis added, "I'm pretty sure that Troy has the guardian…probably-"

"It's Roberto," Ramone finished. "Roberto the Fuzzy."

Mario thought back to meeting the energetic Fuzzy once more.

"Well, where can we find the Sands?" Snow asked Gillis.

"I do believe there's a plane that flies there every morning. If you really hurry, you might catch it today. It's at the far end of Paratonis, so you'll have to make haste."

Mario nodded. "Thank you, Gillis," he said, holding out his hand. "You've been a very good helper so far."

Gillis said no don't mention it and everyone said their good-byes.

Mario led the gang back to the pipe. Levi left back for RitzelTown, assuring Snow she'd be happy to take care of her house while she was gone. Ramone magically ascended into the Haven of the Spirits after a few tries, leaving the party alone to rush to the airplane. As Gillis had explained, it was about two miles away, so they had to run double time.

It was 6:42 by the time they reached the airport, eighteen minutes before the plane was scheduled to take off. Luckily they were still able to get themselves tickets, and as they stepped into the plane, they heard a flight attendant telling them the door would be closing in five minutes.

Mario and his partners got into their seats and prepared for the newest section of their adventure…salted peanuts included.

* * *

**Done for today! Crap, I can't spell "today" without writing toady first. Weird.**

**I'm glad I could get two parts up in one day. Hope you liked!**

**Now it's time for another Troy/Peach/Bowser interlude before we move on to Chapter Three! Stay tuned for another installment of Paper Mario: The Legend of the Clouds!**

**See ya!**


	25. In the Life of a Hypocrite: Interlude

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here is the magical interlude of puppiness for Chapter Two of my original story, The Legend of the Clouds!**

**Totally kidding on the puppy part.**

**But seriously, guys, it **_**is**_** time for the chapter two interlude. So hold on to your underwear again and let's-a go!**

**That was horrible.**

**By the way, I mentioned this before, but you might have noticed Peach had no special help last interlude. That's cause I forgot to add it in. But this time, you'll get to have a Peach-Mario communicator person.**

**And I don't own Mario or anything, just my own characters.**

**Now that that's over, let's get on with it!**

* * *

Troy paced about his room, frustrated and at a loss for what to do. How could he ensure that Mario would not retrieve the next Fragment? He had kept it in Octobust's hands-er, tentacles-while he and his soldiers searched for the others, but every second he became less and less sure that Octobust would win if Mario were to challenge him. A devil, that plumber was…a devil.

He tripped on his bedstead and fell flat on his face. Now even more agitated than before, he stabbed the floor with his scepter. It went through the carpet like a knife through butter.

Just then, the door opened and Troy turned his head quickly towards the doorway. It was Twink.

Getting up as hastily as he could, he brushed off his suit and cape. "Twink," he said quietly.

"Troy," Twink retorted in the same tone. "I have news."

"Good news or bad news?" Troy asked, though he was quite sure of the answer.

"Depends, are you talking about me or yourself?"

"Myself," Troy decided.

"Bad news."

"Don't tell me…"

"Mario defeated Octobust and found the second Fragment."

Troy sighed. "This is horrible. Those were the only two Fragments we knew the locations of. Now we have nothing and Mario's probably already on his way."

"I don't understand, Troy," Twink told him. "Yesterday I told you Mario had found a Fragment, and you-pardon my use of the word-freaked. Now you don't seem half as mad. What is it?"

"I have a plan," Troy replied.

"What kind of plan?"

"YOU CAN NEVER KNOW THE PLAN!" Troy shouted at the top of his lungs. Twink winced.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I was thinking I could be of use to you plan."

"Sure you did," Troy said sarcastically. "I know you'll just rush to Princess Peach's side and tell her everything I tell you. No, I need someone much more reliable…send Maddie in."

"Maddie? But she-"

"HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU. DO NOT QUESTION THE PLAN!"

* * *

This was downright evil. Peach hadn't heard or seen anything, or been allowed to move for at least two days. And Mario was gone…for all she knew he could be in another dimension, being roasted over a fire. And that Troy person was probably having a great time over it.

When this sudden realization came over her-Troy was most likely upstairs, enjoying the fact that he was slowly killing another human being-she just broke down. She cried for the first time since she had been sent here. There was no more trying to cheer herself up. She couldn't be cheered up for anything.

She probably would have cried herself to death if she had not heard it right then.

_Knock knock._

She looked up in a mixture of unbridled terror and confusion. Had she actually heard a knock or was it her mind playing tricks on her?

_Knock knock._

She must have been hearing things.

_Tap tap tap._

It couldn't be true. Nobody could actually be on the other side of the door.

"Hello? Princess Peach?" The voice was deep and full of expression.

In that moment, she was suddenly sure. There was someone on the other side.

"H-hello?" she called.

"May I come in?"

"Who is it?"

"Please, princess, let me come in."

After a pause, Peach sighed, "Come in."

The door that she had never known the location of suddenly burst open, letting a beam of golden light fly in. Peach, whose eyes had grown accustomed to darkness for the past two days, cried out.

When her eyes were adjusted to the light, she looked at her guest. It was a young woman. She had a long head of hair that was a mixture of auburn and blonde. She wore a white blouse, pink gloves, pink leotard, and white dancing shoes and smelled of French Vanilla. Her appearance could not have contrasted her voice more differently.

"Good morning, princess," she greeted her.

Peach let those words hang in her ears. She was not sure if they were meant in genuine greetings or in disdain, but she didn't care-seeing somebody; hearing somebody speak; and just knowing that somebody was there and knew that she herself existed was like a Christmas present.

After a moment, she managed out a reply. "So it is morning?"

"Yes," the girl answered. "Seven o'clock, actually."

Peach breathed a breath of fresh air that was beginning to waft into the room before terror and paranoia began to set in once more. "Who are you?"

The girl smiled, a beautiful pearly smile, before answering, "My name is Madeline St. Valentine."

"Madeline St.-hey, that rhymes!" Peach giggled.

"Yeah, it rhymes, thank you for being the billionth person to point that out."

Peach's shoulders sagged.

"But that's not why I'm here," Madeline told her. "King Troy told me-"

"Troy?" Peach interrupted. "You mean that mindless, egotistic, gothic freak?"

Madeline blinked. "King Troy is not a mindless, egotistic, gothic freak," she said. "He is a great ruler, full of passion, poise, and pride."

"You got the pride part right," Peach laughed, "but not the passion or poise parts."

"King Troy is a good leader, I promise," Madeline insisted.

"If you say so," Peach snorted. "Now why were you here a again?"

"I'm here because King Troy informed me that he had a plan, and as much as I love King Troy, I'm worried for the safety of citizens everywhere if should he carry his plan out."

"What was the plan?"

"He said we was going to use you as bait to lure Mario to his castle, then keep him captive. This will make it much easier to threaten the world into doing what he wants. If someone defies him, he kills Mario."

Peach wanted to say three different things at the same time: "Mario's alive?!", "He's trying to threaten the world into doing what he wants?!", and "Oh, the humanity!"

Madeline seemed to know what she was thinking, however. "Yes, Mario is alive. He has found two of the Cloud Fragments already."

"The what thing-ments?"

"Oh, no," Madeline sighed. "Let me tell you everything."

And she proceeded to explain to Peach the whole situation of the guardians and the Cloud Fragments and everything Mario was doing to stop Troy.

"Wow," was all Peach could say afterwards. "Just wow. I…I didn't know any of this. That Troy really is a mindless, egotistic, gothic freak!"

"Please don't say that," Madeline said. At this point, after hearing everything Troy had done, she didn't know whether to believe her based on her apparent sincerity or not to take her seriously based on her odd get-up.

"Anyway," Madeline continued, "I don't like to disobey King Troy, but I want to help you get out of here. I don't think King Troy knows what he's doing. He thinks big sometimes, but I have a feeling he's serious this time, and I don't want this to happen."

"You just admitted you don't think he knows what he's doing."

"That isn't the point," Madeline argued. "I just want to help you leave this place. I might not be able to help now, but I will try to keep King Troy from carrying out his plan."

"And that will help me how?" Peach asked confusedly.

"Well, I'm kind of ordered to keep you under lock and key, but-"

"I should have known!" Peach shouted. "You say you want to help me out of here, but all you want to do is make me stay!"

"That's not true, princess!" Madeline insisted. "I want to try and talk King Troy out of this. He seems to have his mind set, but hopefully I get him to change his mind."

"What do you mean by 'hopefully'?" Peach narrowed her eyes.

"I'm almost entirely sure I can make him decide not to go through with it."

"You know what I've learned?" Peach asked. "Is that 'almost entirely' usually means 'not in the slightest'."

"I promise, princess, that I'll do my very best."

"Well, Madeline, if you're sure, then I guess I'm sure."

"Please, call me Maddie."

* * *

Bowser suddenly heard chugging sounds coming from his Clown Car as he was flying high above a dense forest. "Uh, that doesn't sound good…" he commented.

"Indeed, Lord Bowser Sir," Kammy agreed. "Do you think we should fly lower, so that if your stunning Koopa Clown Car should break down, you should not be harmed?"

"Kammy, I think that's a good-…"

Bowser didn't get to finish the sentence, because his Clown Car suddenly dropped at that very moment. Kammy sloped her course to try and catch up with him, but she heard a thud and an "oof!" after a few seconds.

When she had made it to the ground, she hopped off her broomstick and waddled over to Bowser's side. "Are you okay, Your Clumsiness?"

Bowser blinked. And hopped to his feet. "Yeah, sure. Just fine, Kammy. Now let's get to hunting for that Cloudy thingy!"

Kammy reminded him of the actual name as they started off and got a "whatever!" in response.

The pair walked slowly among the trees of the forest, getting increasingly annoyed as they did so. After what seemed like an hour, Bowser shouted, "I wish we'd just find some town or something alre-hey!"

For as he was about to finish the sentence, the pair stepped into a clearing with a pair of gates at the end. They walked up to the gates and saw that they read "Gillisville" in faded red paint.

"Oh, Lord Bowser!" Kammy squealed excitedly. "Gillisville is straight on the path to Dofter Palace!"

"Great!" Bowser replied, opening the gates and looking around. "Um, Kammy?"

"Yes, Lord Bowser?"

"Did you know that this place is _really_ boring?"

Kammy looked confused. Stepping around Bowser, she saw what he was talking about. "Whoa. Lord Bowser, I was here only a month ago, and it was beautiful!"

"Strange," Bowser muttered as they walked in and called a random Koopa over.

"Yello?" the Koopa greeted them. "Welcome to Gillis-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Bowser interrupted him. "We're looking for something."

"Yeah?" The Koopa blinked a few times. "What is it?"

"It's called a Cloud Fragment. Now where is it?"

The Koopa looked at him in shock. "Seriously! First that overalls guy, now you two, you people can't stop saying that, can you?"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Bowser waved his hands in front of him. "…Wait. What overalls guy?"

"Well, I don't see how it matters-"

"Tell me!" Bowser shouted.

"Okay!" the Koopa replied, jumping in the air. "His overalls were blue, and he had a read hat with an M in the middle-"

"Wait!" Bowser interrupted him again. "Do you know anyone who knows about this Mario guy?"

"Sure, the mayor, Gillis," the Koopa told him, pointing to the mayor's house.

"Move it, buddy!" Bowser shoved the Koopa to the ground and stomped off towards the house.

* * *

"WHAT?" Bowser shrieked after Gillis broke the truth to him. "How can Mario beat me to it?!"

"Well, I don't know," Gillis answered, irritated. "But he did, so don't think you can go taking it."

"Listen, bud," Bowser said threateningly, "you better tell me where the next one is. Or your pretty face ain't gonna look so pretty anymore."

"…Sure," Gillis replied, forming a plan in his mind. "It's on Lucifer's Isle. So you should definitely look there. No where else. Just look there."

* * *

**And done! Finally we are finished with Chapter Two!**

**Thank you all so very much for reading this far! I'm so glad that you like it (at least most of you).**

**By the way, what is your first impression on Maddie? Just want to know.**

**So next time on Paper Mario: The Legend of the Clouds, we will be getting into Chapter Three.**

**See ya!**


	26. Hello, Goodbye: Part I

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! It's finally here: Paper Mario: The Legend of the Clouds: CHAPTER THREE! YAYHAY! I'm not as excited for this chapter as the last one, but I'm still anticipating it. So I hope you like it! Part one!…Now I wish I was on chapter 2 still-saying, "Part one is up!" makes me feel dumb. But I still want you guys to like it, so let's go!**

**Also I don't own Mario or anything, just my own characters. Remember that like your national anthem.**

**Now that that's over, let's get on with it!**

* * *

Mario glanced at the clock in the middle of the aisle again. It was half after eight. Ferris Sands must be rather far away if it had already been an hour and a half.

He also took another look around the incredibly small room their seats were closely confined in. The seats were laid out with four rows of three each on each side-twenty-four seats total. The party sat with Mario, Goomessa, and Koopetto in one row, and Snow in the row across from them. There were five other passengers in the room besides Mario and his partners. A Green Fuzzy was eating cereal in the seat behind Snow's; a Goomba and her mother sat fidgeting behind Mario and Goomessa; an elderly Boo dozed in the very front leftmost seat; and another Toadette reclined in the seat to the right of the door to second class. Mario noticed the Fuzzy kept glancing at Mario when he thought Mario couldn't see.

They were all dressed in white togas and turbans. On each one was a sash which read, "Ferris Sands-Where You'll Discover Beauty, Wisdom, and a Whole Lot of Sand". Mario didn't understand; was this some sort of ancient tradition, that you wore this outfit to the Sands?

He decided to get up and get supplies. They might need them if they were to travel Ferris Sands. Gillis had told them it was dangerous.

He found out painfully that his feet were asleep when they hit the carpet. After a few moments of trying to wake them up, he deemed himself able to walk. The soft, sugary voice of the flight attendant over the intercom had reminded them many times that they could find a shop right past the restrooms.

Where were the restrooms again?

After ten minutes of searching, he finally found the in-plane store. Inside was a modest shop that contained a dozen different items. Mario thought over the room in his pockets and the money he had left and bought a few Mushrooms and Fire Flowers.

The shopkeeper made the exchanges with him, and then looked over a notepad and smiled at Mario. "Guess what?" she asked, beaming. "You've saved up enough shop points that you get a special reward."

She told him to wait a second and then dashed into a backroom, returning afterwards with a wrapped present.

"Oh…" Mario looked confusedly at it. It was round and solid. "You shouldn't have."

"Oh, I didn't," the shopkeeper giggled. "I'm supposed to hand these out. They give them to me from this weird dude named Perry Johnson. He goes by P.J. though."

"Nice," Mario replied, ripping a section off the wrapping paper.

"In your car please," the shopkeeper told him, though the smile never left her face. "I just vacuumed."

"Well, okay, then," Mario agreed, leaving the store with his prize.

Back in the coach room, Mario sat back down and continued to open the present. Halfway through, he looked over the yellow shiny surface. It was a Growth Coin! When all of the paper was off, Mario held it up and admired it. He got up, stepped carefully over to Koopetto and woke him up.

Koopetto blinked himself awake. "What is it, Mario? I was having the best dream."

"Better than this?" Mario held up the coin for his partner to see.

Koopetto looked bored for a few seconds before suddenly reaching for the coin and ripping it out of Mario's hands. "Where did you find this?" he asked incredulously.

"In the shop," Mario replied. "You know what this means."

"It's…mine?" Mario nodded.

Koopetto held the coin up towards the sky the way Mario had done. There was a flash of light for a few moments, then it quickly dissipated.

"Thanks, Mario." Koopetto smiled wide.

"No problem."

Mario decided to just get back into his seat. He was going to tell Goomessa about the coin, but then he remembered she was asleep as well. Come to think of it, he was rather tired, too…

* * *

Mario suddenly felt himself shaken awake by an immediate cease in motion. The plane jerked to a stop and he almost fell out of his chair. Then again, the floor might have been more comfortable than the seat…

He looked around to see that most of the other passengers had experienced the stop just as much as he had, but some of them had fallen out of their chairs. The honey-voiced flight attendant announced over the intercom, "Good afternoon, passengers. We have arrived at our stop, Ferris Sands."

Wait, afternoon? How could it be the afternoon? Mario looked at the clock, and sure enough, it read 1:45. How had it taken seven hours? Ferris Sands must be very difficult to get to.

"We know you only have one choice in airlines to the Sands, so thank you for choosing Ferris Airlines. Please take your entire luggage with you. Do not to exit the plane until it has come to a complete stop. Please have a nice day."

Mario felt like telling her not to tell him what to do. Considering the way the flight had gone, Mario didn't believe it was possible anyway.

* * *

Stepping off the plane onto a poorly crafted runway, Mario immediately breathed in about five mouthfuls of sand and dust. _And it only gets worse from here!_ He thought. "Cover your mouths," he managed to cough out at his partners.

So that's what the sashes meant when they said, "A Whole Lot of Sand". They weren't kidding.

"I suddenly begin to feel finding Fragments is more trouble than they are worth," Snow commented.

"And I'm claustrophobic too," Goomessa wheezed.

"Goomessa, we're in a _desert_," Mario reminded her. "How could you get claustrophobic in a desert?"

Goomessa shrugged. "I'm not actually getting claustrophobic right now, I just-"

The flight attendant suddenly cut her off, loud enough that they could hear her off the plane: "Thank you again for riding Ferris Airlines, one and all. The plane will be leaving in three minutes, so everybody who is leaving the plane, please do so. Please do not exit the plane if you do not wish to travel to Ferris Sands."

So the plane made other stops, apparently. That meant they'd have to stick on the plane for another few hours when they were finished here.

As the Toadette from coach stepped out of the plane with a rather excessive assortment of bags and luggage, another Koopa, wearing the same toga as the other passengers, that Mario had not seen before came rushing towards them through the sandstorm. "Hello!" he called. "And welcome to Ferris Sands!"

"Is it really a _wel_come?" Snow snorted.

The Koopa ignored her comment. "My name is Geoffrey. I will be your tour guide. We are going to go to Tique, in the heart of the Sands, to get tour supplies, and then we will travel to the ancient ruins. I assume you all want to go on the tour?"

All the other passengers agreed. Mario did too after a moment.

"Follow me, please," he finished as he turned around and beckoned the others to come along. Mario was confused by the suddenness with which Geoffrey had come to them, but decided to follow him anyway.

As the group started off towards what could easily be the middle of nowhere, Geoffrey began to tell them exactly what they were doing. "For those of you who have not yet been on a tour of the Sands, let me explain. Circa 200 BC, ancient peoples built two cities in the heart of Ferris Sands. Tique is a town situated close by here. The ancient people built it as a shrine for gods and worship. But then it was suddenly abandoned. Nobody knows why. And then, around twenty years ago, archaeologists dug the place up in ruins. Since then, architects have been trying to rebuild it as closely as they can to the original city. It's a history mystery, they say.

"But it's a great place. We have an inn if you need to rest or settle your bags in, and we also have a shop if you want a souvenir or items. I think we should be getting close soon enough…

"The other city was built as a sacrifice location. There's this giant sandpit there, and the ancient people believed that if they sacrificed one person every year to the sandpit, it would give them good harvest and food for the rest of the year. Crazy, I guess, but it's their culture. Now the place is also in ruins. We only let people go there on tours. We think it's too dangerous otherwise, because the sandpit is still running.

Just as he was finished talking, a small collection of rocks became visible after another few minutes. Geoffrey heaved a sigh of relief. Mario suddenly felt this trip would not go as well as they'd hoped.

"Here we are!" Geoffrey announced as the group stepped in a large archway with "Tique" written at the top in large bubble letters.

Inside the town was rather dreary. Not "Gillisville" dreary, but rather the kind of dreary that made you sleepy to look at the place.

"Now that we are here," Geoffrey said, "we are going to rest. It's two o'clock right now," Geoffrey informed them, "and we are allotted a half an hour for you all to settle in. When two-thirty comes, we will journey to the Ferris Ruins. Those of you who do not wish to settle in can do whatever they wish for a half an hour. I will wait here by the front arch. See you soon!"

Mario sighed and decided the party might go see the hotel and set themselves in, maybe lie down a bit. His partners agreed; the plane wasn't exactly the most comfortable place to sleep.

The inn, called Crypte de Fleur, was located a few blocks northeast. The innkeeper looked up at footsteps approaching. "Hello, welcome to Crypte de Fleur, how may I help you?"

"We'd like a room, please," Mario told her. "Any floor is fine."

Snow ran to the kitchen to get a glass of water while Goomessa and Koopetto plunked down in seats next to each other. When Mario finished speaking to the innkeeper, he told his partners they had room 202 and headed for the elevator.

On the second floor, Mario saw their room directly next to the elevator as they stepped out of it. Inside their room, which was actually quite neatly furnished, Mario suggested the party lie down for a few minutes. Koopetto said he'd rather stay up, just in case anyone slept too long.

"Hey, Mario, it's 2:25," Koopetto told him, shaking him gently awake. Mario blinked a few times and sat up.

Mario nodded and set to waking the other two up. When everybody was awake, the party exited the inn and made back for Geoffrey.

"Ah, not a moment too soon!" the Koopa called as he saw the party approaching. "Now we have only to wait for our Fuzzy friend. Who is he…Fluzz, that's right. That reminds me, sirs and madams," he added, turning towards the party, "may I have your names? You sped off so quickly I didn't get the chance."

The party said their names carefully, making sure not to say them in unison this time. Geoffrey wrote their names down as they did, filling out a sheet of paper with names.

As Geoffrey shrugged and remarked that it was too bad for Fluzz but they needed to proceed with the tour, the Fuzzy came hopping towards them as quickly as he could, apologizing profusely as he did. Geoffrey said it was okay, and the group followed him towards the back end of the town.

At the end was another archway that led back into the Sands. Luckily, the storm that had been going on when they entered had somewhat calmed down, so they could see a bit better this time around.

There was a path of sand carved by many feet having traveled here before. Geoffrey told them that if they just stuck to the path, they'd be fine. Mario wished he thought Geoffrey himself was quite sure of what he was saying.

The group walked for a few minutes, during which Geoffrey kept talking about the ruins. "It's actually a beautiful place, despite that it was used to kill people. Rumor has it that at the bottom of the sandpit is actually a paradise of some sort, with everything you would ever want. Others say that there is a temple at the bottom. Still others believe that a monster waits at the bottom to eat its sacrifices. It seems that this was the soundest theory for the ancient people-they probably believed that the monster gave them the good harvest and food in return for sacrifices. Some even say they've seen the monster roaming about the Sands.

"But we don't let anyone go there," he warned. "It's far too dangerous to test out theories. Besides, they're just rumors, right?"

* * *

**I think I'll have to stop for today. I have to clean the house with my family all weekend, so I can't expect that'll I'll have any other parts up this weekend. Sorry, guys.**

**What are your thoughts on this chapter so far? Click on the magic green button please.**

**See ya!**


	27. Hello, Goodbye: Part II

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here you guys go: It's my original story: The Legend of the Clouds: Chapter Three: Part Two. That's a lot of colons. For some reason, I feel this chapter is going to be much shorter than the others are. Too bad…but it means we'll get finished sooner! I can already see that ending coming around…Now that we've (or I've) made mindless conversation for no apparent reason, let's go already!**

**And I don't own Mario or anything, just my original characters. Remember that and you will go far in life. Just kidding, no you won't. But still remember it.**

* * *

"Ah, there it is!" Geoffrey pointed excitedly at another larger collection of rocks than Tique. It looked rather like a pyramid. "Ferris Ruins!"

After another minute or two, the group came upon the ruins. "Didn't I tell you it was a beautiful place?" Geoffrey asked.

Mario had to admit he was right. Jewels lined the walls, and the pyramid, which had looked like sandstone before, now looked as though it was made of gold. An opening in the middle gave off a dark glow, mysterious and inviting.

"Now, let us explore the depths of the ruins," Geoffrey ordered. "And…try not think about how people were killed on this very spot," he added. Mario sighed. This was hopeless.

Inside the ruins, Geoffrey handed everyone a flashlight. Mario decided not to question how he could have had them the whole time and just took his flashlight in peace.

"Now," Geoffrey said quietly, "we explore. Follow me carefully. The floors are very fragile, so one must take caution. You did sign the waiver, right?" he suddenly asked Mario and his partners.

"What waiver?" Mario demanded.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," Geoffrey answered. And then talking to the rest of the group as well, he continued, "Now follow me. I know where to go."

He then proceeded along a seemingly random path, which winded endlessly and sloped erratically. While Mario could see somewhat well in front of him, the darkness in the ruins seemed to suck all of the true light out of their flashlights. Geoffrey continued to tell them of all the great things about this place.

"You just feel a mysterious vibe coming from this place," he told them. "Sometimes you get the chills, you know, knowing everything that happened here, but it's still a wonderful place. It's quite scenic."

"Yeah, scenic darkness. You can't see anything," the mother Goomba complained.

"I think I'd know, Matilda," Geoffrey returned irritably. "I hold tours to this place every week."

"Are you approximately this _stupid_ on every one?" Snow asked derisively.

"Have you ever been on a tour?" Geoffrey asked.

"No."

"Then_ shut up."_

"You shut up!"

Geoffrey stared blankly at her for a few seconds, as though being talked back to was something slightly outside his already small frame of understanding, before resuming his speech, which was quickly becoming a monologue as no one cared to listen.

"If you'll hold up your flashlights to the wall here, you can see some ancient signs. The ancient people believed that they should place a mark on the wall every year when they sacrificed someone. The marks were to describe the person being sacrificed. They thought that knowing about the person that you were about to eat made it easier to eat them. They worried that if they did not stick to this practice, the monster might become angry and storm the city…"

Mario pretty much zoned out at that point. After looking at the wall Geoffrey told them look at though, and seeing just how many marks were drawn there, he became a little disturbed.

Some time later, he saw light begin to return to the cavern. Looking up, he saw a hole in the ceiling through which a shaft of moonlight poured in. Geoffrey suddenly stopped the group and whipped around. "Now we have reached the end of the ruins. This is where the Sandpit of Sacrifice is located."

"You actually named it Sandpit of Sacrifice?" Mario inquired.

Geoffrey nodded simply. "It's very convenient in keeping people away," he told them. "Very convenient indeed. Remember that _no one_ must go near the pit. It's fenced off, but I still advise that you stay as far away from it as possible. You may look at it, but _stay away_. Really. Stay away from the pit."

"But what if-" the Toadette began.

"I said stay away from the pit!!" Geoffrey shrieked. He then nonchalantly stepped aside for the group to advance towards the sandpit.

Mario and his partners stepped toward it and admired it. It was very large-it covered around ninety percent of the room. And what really caught Mario's eye was that it seemed to glow. It was a very faint glow, but it was still a glow. It seemed to emanate from the middle, and seeped up out towards the group.

Presently, Geoffrey walked back up to the tourists and announced that it was time to leave. Mario rolled his eyes. If he had been keeper of time, the expedition would be long over by now.

Geoffrey turned on one foot and began to skip merrily away from the sandpit. Mario knew he was zany before, but he was getting worse every second.

The group followed him. As they backtracked through the ruins, Mario couldn't take his mind off the glow that seeped out of the sandpit.

But they didn't get very far. As Geoffrey reminded them they could look over the marks once more, the group was shaken to the ground by a sudden quake. Mario scrambled to his feet and shone his flashlight all around him. After a few seconds, most of the others did too.

Mario looked up with his flashlight and saw a large swarm of around fifteen bats on the ceiling, but they weren't ordinary bats. They were at least twice the size of regular bats, and they were colored light blue. They also had spikes on their heads and shoulders.

"Goomessa," he squeaked, "what in the living potatoes are those?!"

Goomessa stuttered for a few seconds before answering, "Um, those are Bleakers. They're like ice bats. They have a max 4 HP and defense 1, and they can attack by ramming into you. That hurts cause they have ice and stuff. But you can't jump on them cause they have those spikes on their shoulders. You'd need something like a fire attack."

The party turned slowly to look at Snow.

"On it," she sighed, starting to sing and hurling a chunk of fire at one of the bats, which fell down immediately, its ice melted. For some reason, it became incapacitated when it melted. Mario ran up to it and whacked it with his hammer. It fainted and Mario assumed it was dead. "Keep doing that, Snow," he ordered. "Goomessa, Koopetto, could you help?"

His other two partners agreed and rushed to Mario's side, helping him to down the Bleakers and taking only occasional hits from them. Before long all of the bats were defeated.

Geoffrey and the rest of the tour group stood themselves up and expressed ludicrous gratitude. Geoffrey's voice rose above all the others. "My dear, friends, how did you do that?"

"He's a magician!" the Toadette cried.

"He's a king!" the Boo suggested.

"He's a birdy!" the small Goomba cheered.

Mario couldn't help but chuckle at the shouts being thrown everywhere.

"He's Mario!"

Mario turned towards the Fuzzy after he heard him speak. "What did you say?"

"You're Mario, aren't you?"

"Um…yeah, I am," Mario replied confusedly. He had an idea that people as far away as this wouldn't tend to know about him.

"I'm a big fan of yours," the Fuzzy told him.

"Oh…well, thanks," Mario answered awkwardly.

The rest of the group must have guessed what he was thinking, because the Toadette reminded him, "We were on the plane with you, remember? We're not from here."

"Oh yeah…" Mario replied, thoroughly embarrassed. "I just forgot, sorry."

Geoffrey suddenly spoke up again. Mario was wishing more and more that he'd quit doing that. "I believe we're running low on time, people, it's getting dark."

Everybody stared at him.

* * *

"Hey, Goomessa," he asked as they were finally leaving the cavern, outside of which, as Geoffrey had pointed out, was night-time, "what did you think of that white glow thing that we saw in the sandpit? You know, it was kind of shiny and bright, but it was still pretty faint and light?"

Goomessa stared at him blankly. "The glow? Huh. I didn't see it."

"Really? Okay."

Mario shrugged and decided to ask Koopetto.

"Glow? Um…what glow?"

"You know, it was coming out of the middle of the pit. Don't you remember?"

"Remember? I don't think I ever saw it…Sorry, Mario."

Mario crossed his arms but kept walking. After a moment he decided to ask Snow, dreading the answer he would receive.

"Um, sorry? A glow? Whaddya mean?"

"Snow, I-never mind." Mario decided he must have been seeing things.

"Oooookay," Snow replied confusedly.

The group continued onward and soon entered Tique again. Once there, Geoffrey thanked everyone for a great time in the ruins and personally patted everyone on the head.

"A great time?" Snow repeated as the rest of the group dispersed. "Where's he been?"

* * *

Back in the hotel, the party made it back into their room and retired. Goomessa and Snow decided to sleep in a twin bed, Koopetto would sleep in a single, and Mario pulled out a foldout again.

Everyone murmured their good-nights and dropped off to blissful rest.

Once again, Mario had odd dreams, most of them concerning the glow from the sandpit mario had been sure he'd seen, and each one ending with Geoffrey going insane and chasing the group with a knife. One by one, he would catch them all, until only Mario remained. Mario would always end up cornered in a small room in the cave, and could only yelp in terror as Geoffrey advanced with beady red eyes. Most of his dreams ended before Geoffrey got to him, but in the last one, the artificially deranged Koopa finally made his way to Mario. He lifted his dagger up in the air and plunged it through Mario's heart…

Mario shot up in bed and released an unearthly scream. His partners' eyes flew open and they leaped out of their beds and rushed to Mario's side to try and calm him down. This lasted for some three minutes before Mario quit screaming. Goomessa pleaded with him to explain.

"He…he killed…he's a…" Mario stammered through numerous attempts to breathe. "It's-it's nothing, just…" Mario suddenly fell back into bed without another word.

"Well, that was weird," Goomessa commented. "What time is it, any-2:30! Whoa. Let's get back to bed, guys."

But before anyone could move, there was a soft tap on the door. Snow walked sleepily over and pressed the button on the speaker. "Hello?" she called. "Who are you, what are you doing, and why are you doing it here?"

Before Koopetto or Goomessa could make a remark on her rude greeting, a familiar voice asked to be let in. Snow blinked in confusion. "Is that-um, come in?"

She unlocked the door, and the Fuzzy, one of the other tourists when they had been to the cave, hopped inside.

"Why are you-where did you-"

"I heard a scream," the Fuzzy replied. "And it sounded like Mister Mario. I saw you all walk in here before, so I came here. What happened?"

"None of your bees-"

Goomessa interrupted the irritated Snow with an answer of her own. "We're thinking Mario had a bad dream or something," she said. "But he's fine now. Why are you here about it though?"

Mario groaned and sat up again. "Guys, I'm trying to-who's that?" He cut himself off. "Wait, you're…"

"Fluzz," the Fuzzy replied. "I was with you on the tour."

"Fluzz, you said?" Snow asked. He nodded.

"Okay," Snow said with a small laugh, "and, um, Fluzz, what I ask you, gives you this idea that you can go barging into people's rooms at all hours of the night, and asking complete strangers why they had a bad dream? From where do you get this idea?" As she spoke, her voice became higher and higher as Snow's did when she was angry. Fluzz blinked in confusion.

Goomessa glared at Snow and began speaking again. "Anyway, Fluzz, Mario's okay, so if you-"

"Oh, okay," Fluzz interrupted her. "I understand. If you want me to leave, then I will."

Goomessa's mouth hung open. "No, Fluzz, it's not that we_ want_ you to leave, it's just-"

"No, I understand," Fluzz interrupted again. "You just don't need me getting in the way?"

"No, Fluzz!" Goomessa insisted. "That's not it. Besides, there's nothing you would get in the way of. We just have…well, it's…"

"What do you mean, there's nothing he would get in the way of? Adventure anyone?" Koopetto put a hand to his mouth as soon as he finished.

"Really? Mister Mario's on an adventure? Whoa," Fluzz asked excitedly.

Mario sighed and got out of bed. "Okay, Fluzz, I have this feeling," he told the Fuzzy. "You're my 'biggest fan', you followed us all the way here, and now you know I'm on my latest adventure. I get this strange feeling you're not gonna leave until I ask you if you want to come with us."

"Oh, do I!" Fluzz squealed, rushing out and returning shortly with bags and luggage.

"You didn't have those with you in the hall, did you?" Mario asked. "The whole time?"

"You know, Mister Mario, I've learned that if you act like something you want's going to happen, most of the time it just does."

"Well…You know, Fluzz, I might count on Goomessa to act like that, or maybe Snow-"

The two mentioned partners shouted, "Hey!"

"but not you," Mario finished.

"Mister Mario," Fluzz protested, "you've known me for an hour of your life. How would you know what to expect from me?"

"I can read people. It's a gift."

Fluzz blinked a few times before remarking, "Nice! So where is your adventure anyway, Mister Mario?"

Mario sighed and replied, "First, Fluzz, don't call me Mister Mario. Second, well, we uh…don't know. But I have a feeling it's in those ruins. It's dark and mysterious in there, so I'd assume that was it."

Fluzz nodded. "I think you're right, Mister Mario."

"I said _don't_ call me Mister Mario."

"Whatever you say, Mister Mario."

Mario hung his head. "Anyway, Fluzz, I guess since you're coming with us, you might like to become an official member of our party?"

Fluzz grinned wide. "Yes! Yes, I would! Thank you, Mister Mario!" He then jumped at Mario, toppling him down in the process.

* * *

**And I think that's it! Anyway, I kinda stole a few lines from shows, but just remember that I OWN NOTHING!**

**Anyway, I don't really know what to say…**

**O WAT! I did want you to tell me everything you thought so far about the now-four partners Mario has collected. Wow, that sounded mean and wrong-collecting partners…**

**Also, tell me if you've noticed anything about the guardians so far. Anything.**

**By the way, One Day More, from Les Miserables? BESTEST SONG EVER.**


	28. Hello, Goodbye: Part III

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here we are. Chapter Three, Part Three coming right up. I still think this chapter will be shorter than the others, but don't worry, there will be plenty of longer ones coming up. Now let's go.**

**Plus, I don't own Mario or Short Circuit or anything, just my original characters. **_**Now**_** let's go.**

* * *

The rest of the night went undisturbed for the party, who had decided they should leave at dawn. Hopefully they wouldn't meet anyone along the way. Fluzz had to sleep on the foldout bed with Mario, as there were no other beds. Mario's sleep was unperturbed by odd dreams about the tour, and he finally slept well. He did have a few random dreams about candy canes, though.

When morning finally came, Mario blinked open his eyelids. Looking over at the digital clock, he discovered it was seven in the morning. They would have to leave fast to avoid as many passing citizens as possible.

Mario was beginning to feel so anti-social…

No time to think about that, though. He quickly roused his partners and told them they should leave. His partners agreed, and pretty soon they were leaving the hotel. The party advanced towards the exit Geoffrey had led them to when the group had gone to the ruins. But now it was just the five of them.

Suddenly Mario wasn't so sure if he wanted to do this. Geoffrey may have been clinically insane, but apparently he knew his way around the ruins. Mario wasn't sure he did as well. He would have to try though.

Mario led his partners towards where he thought he remembered the ruins to be. On the way, Fluzz suddenly sprung into conversation:

"I'm kind of just like a normal Fuzzy," he told Mario. "I can steal people's health, and then I can give it to one of us. I can also use my Fuzzy vacuum-y power to suck something away if it's attached to something else. You know, like a poster or tape or something. You know?"

Mario nodded, knowing just what Fluzz was talking about. Flurrie and Watt, partners from his last such adventures, had had this same power, the ability to reveal hidden objects. Mario smiled at this revelation and found a sudden confidence in himself and his partners. Sure they would find the ruins. Sure they would find the sandpit.

Sure enough, after a few minutes, the gang came upon the solid gold pyramid that contained the ruins. Hopefully they would be able to navigate without flashlights.

Inside, the party cleared the dust from their throats before advancing in the general direction that Geoffrey had first led them.

On the way, Mario stumbled over a solid object and fell flat on his face in the sand. After standing up with what was left of his pride, he tried to pick up the object that had tripped him. But it was too heavy to lift. So he tried to tinker around with it and eventually, he found it had a lid. After opening it, he discovered there was another prize inside it. He couldn't tell what it was, but it was round and smooth. After examining it for a few moments, now with his partners' aid, he finally figured out what it was. Another Growth Coin.

His partners all gasped at once, with the exception of Fluzz, who had no clue what they were talking about. After explaining the workings of Growth Coins and his policy on giving them, he handed this one to Snow. There was a flash of light around Snow for a few seconds. Fluzz gawked.

"That's so cool," he said.

"I wonder what I can do," Snow mused. Beginning to hum a random tune, she was shocked to see a blue ring forming around herself. "Ice?" she voiced Mario's thoughts, picking a chuck of the ring out and putting it to her chest. "Oh, definitely ice," she cried, throwing it to the floor and warming herself with fire. Mario laughed.

After about thirty minutes, they saw the sandpit once more. Mario looked at it sleepily, just now realizing he might have given the gang a _little_ more sleep. How much had they got? Five hours? Six? Whatever it was, he wished it had been more.

He fell asleep. Luckily, Goomessa woke him up shortly afterwards before he could have weird dreams. He looked around at the pit.

He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times, but he couldn't make his eyes change it. The glow was there again. His mouth hung open. "Goomessa," he whispered, "the glow, it's back."

"Huh?" Goomessa asked, bewildered. "The glow again? I don't know what you mean. What glow?"

"Come one, Goomessa, it's right there," Mario insisted. "Don't you see it?" He pointed at the middle of the pit. Goomessa looked at it for a few moments before shaking her head at Mario.

"Mario, I have no idea what you're talking about," she told him. "There's no glow here. You're just tired. You didn't get much sleep. None of us did," she added with a sideways glance at Fluzz.

"But I saw it on the tour too!" Mario cried, looking imploringly at the Goombette. "It's…it's…it's there, it's right there." He sighed and slumped to the floor.

Goomessa asked him to stand up and looked him straight in the eyes. "You know what, Mario? If you see a glow there, then maybe it's something special about you. Maybe there's some kind of magic that makes it so that you can see the glow. I guess you see it so that you know that's where we'll find the Fragment. That reminds me," she added, "we have to explain the whole Plathora thing to Fluzz. How do you think he'll feel about it?"

"How do I think he'll_ feel?_" Mario repeated. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you know how Koopetto thought of it as an adventure, but Snow thought it was a load of malarkey?"

"Malarkey?"

"Not the point."

"Well…I think he'll think of it as interesting and fun too, but Fluzz is a bit…out there," Mario commented. "You'd never know."

"Well, we should tell him now," Goomessa suggested, "and get it over with. What's the worst that can happen?"

"You're right," Mario agreed, and walked up to Fluzz, telling the others they were going to go a little ways back but not to worry, they would be back soon.

Fluzz looked confusedly at Mario. "Why are we going back?" he asked.

"Well, Fluzz," Mario replied, "I have to tell you the reason we're here. The reason _you're_ here."

"I thought I was here because I'm very good at manipulating people to get them to do what I want?"

Mario chuckled. "That too," he answered. "But what I meant to say was, what the others and I are really doing here, is that we have to find this…thing…called a Cloud Fragment…"

And Mario proceeded to explain the by-now-increasingly-annoying story of Plathora and the Fragments.

By the time he was finished, Fluzz was staring at him in a mixture of wavering confusion and admiration. "That's amazing, Mister Mario," he remarked. "I'm still a bit fuzzy-no pun intended-on exactly how this works…It sounds cool, though."

Mario had stopped trying to get him to stop calling him Mister Mario. He'd quit it soon enough.

"Thanks," Mario replied amusedly. "Maybe I should have told you about this before, but I forgot, and-"

"Oh, don't worry!" Fluzz assured him. "I was actually wondering if it was still okay for me to come along."

"Of course it's okay!" Mario answered. "We can use all the help we can get."

Fluzz hopped up and down. "Thank you, Mister Mario," he said, grinning. "I just hope I'll be some help to you."

"Of course you will!" Mario assured. "I think you make a great addition to our-"

"Today, Cosby, today!" Snow shouted from farther along in the ruins. "I've always wanted to say that," she mused to herself afterwards.

Mario's shoulders sagged. "As I was saying, I think you make a great addition to our team," he finished. "Now we should go before Miss Eleanor Roosevelt loses her head."

Fluzz nodded and followed Mario in the direction of Snow's voice. It wasn't long before the two found the rest of the party more or less patiently waiting on the ground. "Hey, Mario," Koopetto greeted. "What was up?"

"I was just talking to Fluzz," Mario replied.

"I _get_ that part," Koopetto told him sarcastically. "What about?"

"He told Fluzz about the Cloud Fragments and all that happy junk," Goomessa answered for him. Mario nodded.

"We should go, though," Goomessa continued. "You know, I noticed something different about this place. We haven't met our boss at all this time. I guess we'll have to wait until we get into the depths of the ruins."

Suddenly, a rumbling shook the sand beneath them. Mario could feel some of it giving away under him. "I jinxed that!" Goomessa cried.

After a moment, a small patch of ground fell away entirely. As it did, a large figure rose out of the hole.

Mario couldn't speak for a minute. The figure looked rather like a giant yellow hand, fixed with its fingers together and the thumb curled below them. The only difference was that where a space would normally be between the fingers and thumb, chipped yellow teeth took its place. Plus, it had large eyes where the index and little fingers would have been.

This monstrosity glared at them before bellowing, "What are you doing in my ruins?!"

Mario stepped nervously up to the creature and told it, "We are here to find the Cloud Fragment and save the spirit guardian. And we're not going to let you stop us."

"Think again, bug!" the monster shouted. "I am Smudgey, King of the Desert, and I will not stand for you to defile my ruins! Begone! Into the Sandpit of Sacrifice with you lot!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Snow interrupted as he was about to continue speaking. "Your name is Smudgey?"

"Yes, it is, in fact," Smudgey replied. "You want to make something of it?"

"Uh, no sir," Snow answered nervously.

"So _you're_ the ancient monster that threw ancient Tique into fear," Goomessa commented.

"Indeed I am! And I loved it! And now, you become my first sacrifices in ages!" Smudgey boomed. "Into the pit!" He then jumped once more, causing a large amount of sand to shift towards the sandpit. Mario tried to run away but fell, dragged down by the moving sand. Pretty soon he and his partners had all fallen into the sandpit, and they had no way out.

* * *

**That's it for today. Sorry this chapter is so short, but like I said, I'm having a hard time writing this chapter. Anyway, tell me what you think!**

**By the way, earlier in the adventure, Mario mentioned something that was alike about the way bosses introduced themselves. Have you figured it out? Hopefully you have...but don't worry, it will be revealed for those of you who are stumped.**

**Magic green button!**

**Have a nice day.**

**See ya!**


	29. Hello, Goodbye: Part IV

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! But**_** anyway**_**, this is chapter three, part four of my original story, Legend of the Clouds. Good for it. And, um…wow, sudden lack of funny stupid things to say, so I'll just disclaimificate…or something…**

**I don't own Mario or any of that stuff and things, just my original characters…**

**And let's go.**

* * *

Mario woke up some time later. Looking around him, he took stock of the new place he and his partners were in. The floor and walls were made of bright gold colored bricks. The room was rather dark as well, so that he could not see far in front of him. Gazing tiredly up and down, he discovered the floor was almost covered in sand, and it was being filled as he sat. Sand poured in from a hole in the ceiling.

_Don't pay any attention to it, Mario,_ he told himself. _Just another wacky dream…_

As he came to his senses, however, he remembered everything that had happened. How long had it been? Minutes? Hours? And most importantly, where was everyone else?

_Oh no, this is not good,_ he thought. _I'm in a giant sandpit and there's a freaky hand thing on the loose, plus I've lost my friends._

He tried to stand up and slipped right back onto the sand. After a few more failed attempts to stand up, he decided that maybe his hammer would help. He took it clumsily and threw it to the ground, creating a nice indent in the floor. Grabbing hold of his hammer, he finally stood up and got a foothold in the continually falling sand. Luckily, he was not directly below the sand that fell from the ceiling; maybe when he had fallen through the pit he had slid across the floor. He then struggled for a few seconds to remove his hammer from the floor.

It was only then that he was shocked by the fact that this room actually had a floor and ceiling. How was that possible? He definitely wouldn't argue, because this pretty much kept him from suffocating in sand, but he didn't understand it.

He took a few steps forward to make sure there was no sort of trap. Nothing happened. He took another step. No change.

He resigned himself to walking normally. He was still worried that his friends were gone, but hopefully they'd turn up.

And they did, eventually-as Mario strolled aimlessly through the golden room, he suddenly heard the ultimately refreshing sound of Fluzz's voice from somewhere up ahead.

"I didn't even know about you before," he commented.

"Interesting," someone else replied. After a few seconds he recognized the voice as Snow's. "And I had thought everyone knew me. Not as many people as I thought, I guess."

Mario dashed forward, trying to catch up with them. "Guys, wait up!" he shouted. Soon afterwards he came upon them. They were staring out into space, as if trying to discern the source of the call. Goomessa was the first to turn and see Mario. "Mario!" she cried in relief. "We thought that was your voice."

"So you went on ahead after you woke up?" Mario asked confusedly.

"Well, we assumed you would catch up when you woke," Goomessa defended. "And you did, so it's okay, right?"

Mario sighed. "Sure," he answered. "Now, we should find out how to get out of here. It's like this room goes on forever. I have a headache…" he added quietly.

Goomessa blinked sympathetically at him before turning on one foot to advance in the golden room. "It can't be _that_ big," she commented. "Maybe we're close to an exit."

No sooner had the last word left her tongue than the darkness scattered in the room was suddenly brightened a great deal. The party could now see walls for a moment (they were in fact right up against one of them) before the mind grating bright yellow that _colored_ the walls took its toll; Mario couldn't see for a few seconds.

When his sight returned, he wished it hadn't. All around the party was an enormous mass of large flowers with faces on them. Their petals were all white, and they glowered evilly at the party, a mixture between a smirk and a glare. Snow began to scream. The flowers began to join her, and soon the entire room was filled with squealing. Goomessa tried to calm her down.

Mario recognized the enemies as Crazee Dayzees. But why would they be here?

As Mario began to ponder this, they began to grab hold of Mario and his partners and tried to throw them backwards. As Mario left the stubbed hands of one, another pair caught him. Suddenly an unfamiliar voice rose up from the clamor of Snow, Goomessa and the mass of Dayzees. "Tieche ovare nechere fleur carste? Helic iteras lova si!"

The exclamation did give Mario the chills, but he felt it would have been creepier if it had not been in a language he did not understand. As well as that, it had been in such a shrill voice. Even though most Crazee Dayzees had high voices such as this, Mario was quite sure this one was female.

He gazed around for the source of the voice and his eyes were lost in a sea of flowers. After some searching, he was shocked to see a different enemy among the crowd. It was an Amazy Dayzee, a rare species of Crazee Dayzee. Mario remembered them all too well.

He did notice however that this particular Amazy Dayzee was tinted with some green and blue. Its general color consisted of gold and white, but Mario still felt it was a little different. "Goomessa, what the heck did it say?" he asked.

"It demanded to know how we dare come here, and told us this place belongs to them," she replied.

"So you work for Smudgey?" Mario asked.

"Smudgey. Iu kieches son terrafi. Por sel iu hes!" the Dayzee screamed.

"She said Smudgey should leave because this place is theirs," Goomessa clarified. She must also have noticed the difference in hue on this Dayzee, for she then exclaimed, "Oh no, that's a Barbed Poison Dayzee!"

"Pardon?" Mario asked.

"They're, like, the top guys in the Dayzees. They have 25 HP, an attack of 15, a defense of 3, poison breath that can put you to sleep, and they can also sprout spikes. Kinda scary."

"You think?" Mario muttered, taking his hammer back out and randomly swinging it in front of him. A group of Crazee Dayzees hit by the hammer shrieked and were knocked away. Mario struggled through the crowd of Dayzees using this method. While the crowd hardly decreased in numbers, his hammer allowed him temporary access through the mass. The Barbed Dayzee, who had been talking to one of the others, turned back to the party and assumed a worried look-the party was only yards away from her. She yelled something unintelligible to the rest of the Dayzees, which suddenly became more aggressive, jumping on Mario and his partners and (to the extent of what they could really do to harm them) slapping them across the face. The Barbed Dayzee cackled as Mario shoved the Dayzees aside and once again began to slam his hammer in their faces. Some stood strong and retaliated, others flew across the room.

But somehow Mario felt he wasn't making progress. The Barbed Dayzee could move freely among her friends while the party had to walk much slower than they might be able to without the Dayzees impeding them.

If only they could make the Dayzees go slower…

Then the solution hit him like a rock. Mario wanted to slap himself in the head. Of course he could make them go slower. Reaching into his pockets and pulling out the Cloud Fragment he had received from Octobust, he held it proudly up in the air.

The Dayzees looked confusedly at the Fragment for a moment before a wave suddenly shot from it through the air, as though it had been hit by a heat wave. The Dayzees stared at it before it hit them. They started to advance towards the party once more, but they found themselves only able to move at about one tenth their original speed. The Barbed Dayzee seemed not to be affected whatsoever, but Mario was fine with that because he was much faster than she was.

Mario soon caught up with her and brought his hammer down on her head. She whipped around and glared at the party. As Mario was about to hit her again, she smirked as large metal spikes suddenly protruded from her shoulders and sides. Mario jumped back in surprise.

The Dayzee then leaned back and opened her mouth. Mario shouted at everybody to get down, and she ended up blasting poison gas in the empty air.

Mario and his partners got back up and began to attack again. The Barbed Dayzee attacked back at them with more streams of poison gas. She also rammed into Mario, spikes bared, which left him on the ground, but he felt it was nothing a Mushroom couldn't fix. Mario was also impressed when Fluzz demonstrated his signature move, jumping on the Dayzee and stealing a portion of her health.

Nevertheless, before too long, the party was feeling rather weak. Luckily, it was only another hammer's strike away before the Dayzee cried out in fury and pain. "Ochire les porichiu!" she shouted before commanding her friends to come with her and then dashing off away from the party. The slowness seemed to have worn off at just that moment and the other Dayzees followed. "What did she say again?" Mario asked Goomessa.

"She said that this wasn't the last of her," Goomessa answered, shivering afterwards.

Mario nodded.

Snow slumped down against the wall. "And I thought I'd seen everything…" she remarked. "But talking flowers…Mario, can you honestly say I won't be clinically insane by the time this adventure is over?"

Mario opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. "I can't guarantee anything," he replied, "but I _know_ we'll never make it out sane if we believe we won't."

Snow stared at him. "What kind of an answer is that?" she demanded. "I mean, it sounds pretty and all, but I just want to know-"

"I know you want to know," Mario cut her off. "But what you want to know I don't know."

Snow blinked. "I don't get it."

"I know."

Snow groaned. She then stood back up and joined the others as the party began once again to explore the bright room. Now that he could see all the way around, Mario scanned the room, looking for an exit. He couldn't see anything that might suggest a way out.

"Hey, Mario, what's that over there?" Goomessa aksed, gesturing towards the middle of one of the walls.

Mario looked closely at where she was "pointing" and noticed what she might have been talking about. At that particular spot, the wall was shimmering and wavy. He told his partners to follow him and advanced toward the wall. When he reached it, he put a hand to the wall and was shocked to find his hand didn't go all the way to the wall. There was some kind of invisible barrier preventing him from going closer than two feet away.

"If you don't mind me saying," Goomessa commented, "it looks like there might be something hidden behind that thing."

Mario grinned. "Fluzz," he said, turning to his Fuzzy partner, "could you give me a bit of help?"

Fluzz smile wide. "Sure thing." He then bounded up to Mario's side and jumped onto the invisible object, latching onto it afterwards. He then used his vacuuming powers like he had on the Barbed Dayzee, and after a few moments the barrier suddenly peeled away, leaving behind a door made of sandstone bricks. Mario pushed it open and walked into the next room.

This room was just about exactly the same as the first. While not nearly as large, sand covered this room as well, and the walls were colored bright yellow. He began to walk through the room with his partners, looking out for any shimmering object that might be here. There was a chest at the far end of the room. Mario opened it and discovered, amongst a fair bit of dust, a yellow key. "Can't beat that," he murmured.

He looked around at the walls of the room again, but neither a door nor another invisible rested anywhere. Walking to the middle of the room, he put his chin in his hands in thought. For some reason, he felt the sand was moving on this spot.

Looking down, he realized it was: though he hadn't seen it before, there happened to be a sandpit on that very spot. "Guys, help!" he shouted, trying to walk out of the falling sand.

His partners turned towards him from where they had been searching. "Mario!" Goomessa cried as they ran to the sandpit.

Fortunately, because the room was so much smaller than the last, they were just able to make it before Mario was too far into the sand. Mario gave a sigh of relief.

"Wait…" Goomessa commented. "Maybe it…leads somewhere we need to go?"

Mario reflected that she was probably right. "Okay, I'll go back in there. Wait here. If I call up, follow me down, okay? If I don't, well…if I call up, follow me down, okay?"

His partners nodded.

Mario had to wait another minute while he sunk through the sand. He silently prayed as his head went through that this wasn't a real sandpit.

Then suddenly he fell through, disrupting his thoughts.

But as he opened his eyes, his feet hit the floor. Breathing another relieved sigh, he called up, "It's okay!" His partners came down shortly after, and Mario turned around to inspect the room. This one was quite a bit different from the other two. There was a hall in front of them, at the end of which was a tall circular section making up the rest of the room. It was mostly made of metal. Mario walked forward to see what was in the cylindrical section. "Wow, someone must have spent a lot of time on this," he remarked.

While the room was very well made, it was nearly featureless. At the very bottom was a large fan and who knew what else-it was so far down that Mario couldn't see much besides the fan-but whatever else _was _down there, Mario couldn't see anything.

Mario suggested they jump down. His partners agreed, but just as they were about to, Fluzz cried, "Wait!"

Mario jumped in the air. "What is it?" he demanded.

"There's spikes there," Fluzz replied.

"What?" Mario asked confusedly. "How can you know that?"

"Shimmering," Fluzz replied simply.

Mario looked back down. Sure enough, he could see a wavy set of sharp objects about halfway down the gap between the party and the floor below. They covered an entire portion of the gap so that Mario could not even slide between the spikes and the wall.

"Well, this isn't good," Mario remarked. "Wait, what's that?"

Against the wall, directly below the ledge on which the party stood, was also another invisible ledge. It seemed to be connected to the spikes. Mario had an idea.

"Fluzz, jump straight down," he ordered. "Straight down. Don't go forward or anything."

Fluzz protested, "But the spikes-"

"I promise, you'll be fine."

Fluzz sighed and jumped. The thud with which he landed on the ledge was rather frightening, but he called up, "I'm okay!"

"Vacuum away the spikes!" Mario called.

Fluzz blinked confused before saying, "Oh…" and doing as he was told. After a moment, the spikes suddenly fell away from the gap. Fluzz fell with them. They fell down toward the floor, turning over in mid-air as they did so and landing on top of the fan. Luckily, Fluzz remained above the fan instead of being turned over with the spikes.

Mario shrugged and told his other partners to jump. When the party was all collected at the bottom, Mario was able to find out was in this room. All that was here besides the fan and the upside-down spike was another sandstone door, this one with a lock on it. Mario pulled out his recently received key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

Inside was only a giant box. Mario was confused for a moment before he saw a red switch on top of it. But how they get up…

He looked around and noticed another shimmering object on the wall to the right of the party. "Fluzz?" he said, pointing to the wall. Fluzz nodded and vacuumed away the invisible cube, revealing another switch. Mario hit it with his hammer.

Mario heard the sound of creaking metal and looked back at the box to see three new smaller boxes rising out of the ground. There was a very short box, which led like stairs to a larger box. Across a gap was another box the same size as the second. On top of this one was another switch. _This place is weird,_ he thought.

He jumped up the "stairs" to the medium-sized box and tried to jump to the other one, but it was too large a gap. Koopetto's eyes lit up. Mario could tell Koopetto was thinking the same thing that he was. The Koopa ran up the stairs and shot his shell at the switch. When this happened, another flight of little boxes appeared, leading up to the top of the largest box. Mario smiled.

At the top of the large box, Mario jumped on the switch and heard a new sound. It sounded like a motor starting. Running outside followed closely by his partners, he saw the large fan start to move. As it went faster, the spikes began to move as well. As though made of paper, the spikes whirled around and were suddenly sucked into the fan. Mario ran up the fan and saw the spikes magically ripped to shreds before his eyes.

"But how are we going to get past the fan?" Mario asked himself.

"I know!" Snow exclaimed excitedly. She then stepped up toward the fan and began to sing, throwing a chunk of ice at the pivot section of the fan, causing it to come to a screeching halt. Mario congratulated Snow, then hopped into the fan. He told his partners to hurry and follow, fearing the fan would break the ice eventually, and he really didn't want to think about what would happen if one of his partners was in he fan when that happened.

When they were all in the recess below the fan, Mario sighed and looked down in thought. But what he saw was not his feet. It was sand, and he was sinking in it. Forcing himself to calm down, he reminded himself that this pit probably led somewhere just like the others. After a few moments (and after telling his partners not to worry) he fell through and they soon followed.

And the only thing in this room was a door. Mario opened it, expecting the absolute worst, but all that was here was a vast expanse of sand. Mario walked forward and looked around in suspicion. There had to be some sort of trap here. His partners followed closely.

"I warned you, I did," a voice said suddenly. "I warned you."

"Who's there?" Mario cried.

"You know who I am," the voice replied, and Mario recognized it as Smudgey's. "You're the freak who threw us into the sandpit!" he shouted.

"You will _not_ call me a freak!" the voice shouted back, and suddenly the sand below them began to shift upwards. It then fell away, revealing Smudgey, the same hand-shaped figure that had forced the party into the sandpit. Only now, Mario noticed something different about him-he was inside a pot. Mario didn't know why, but this time, Smudgey's "wrist" was confined to a small, beat-up pot.

"I warned you, but you're the…_hero…_ so you have to ignore the warnings, don't you? Being a hero means you have to win, too…but not this time! Enjoy your last few minutes with a living body!

"What, is there something in my teeth?"

* * *

**That's it for today! How did like this chapter? I honestly think I rushed it way too much, but it's okay, right? RIG-**

**Aaaanyway, tell me what you thought of this chapter please!**

**Have a nice day!**

**And see ya!**


	30. Hello, Goodbye: Part V

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here we are at part five of the third chapter of my original story, the Legend of the Clouds. Oh, goody!**

**That was so weird. I can't believe I just typed "Oh, goody!" It was the first thing that came to my mind, too…**

**I don't own Mario or anything in it, just my original characters; the list of them is exceedingly long by now…**

**And let's go.**

**Also, just for clarification, Smudgey is meant to look like Master Hand from Super Smash Brothers (in his regular position) but the arm is extended a little bit, plus if you look at the last chapter over again, you'll see I put him in a pot.**

* * *

"Goomessa?" Mario asked. "What can you give me on him?"

Goomessa frowned. "I _really_ need like a book or special document or something on enemies…cause I'm stuck on guys like this."

"Really? A book?" Mario repeated.

"Or special document or something. Anyway," Goomessa continued, "He looks strong…but it looks like if you to break that pot of his, it'll be a lot easier to really attack him. He looks kind of…soft though, so he might not have a really great defense."

Mario dashed forward, taking out his hammer as he went, but he could only run so fast in the sand. "You couldn't have been in the last two rooms?" he whined.

Smudgey roared with laughter and jumped in the air, shaking the ground when he landed. Mario flew back across the sand.

"There has to be some way we can get him to stop doing that," Mario muttered. "We can't get to him if he keeps shaking the ground."

"Maybe I can freeze him in place," Snow suggested.

"Okay," Mario agreed. "Try that."

Snow hummed her second signature tune and hurled a chunk of ice across the room at Smudgey. The boss was too quick, however, and dodged the attack long before it hit him. Smudgey laughed again and suddenly breathed a column of sand right at Mario, knocking him backward into the wall. Snow tried to attack again, running closer to Smudgey, but the attempt was once again in vain.

"Okay, I think we have to try this again," Mario told the others, pulling out the stack of rings that was the second Fragment again. "Hopefully it works on Smudgey." He held the Fragment up once more, it shone, and the wave that appeared the first time around came up again, reverberating through the air until it hit Smudgey. The boss looked around confusedly, and then began to advance toward the party again. But sure enough, he only moved at a fraction of his original speed.

"Wait, then why didn't it work on the Barbed Dayzee?" Koopetto asked to no one in particular.

"Maybe the wave thing was broken by the spikes?" Goomessa mused. Mario reflected that it was rather likely that she was right.

He then suddenly thought to himself that the slowness was probably temporary. Smudgey might regain his speed if the party waited too long. But until then, they had to get as many hits in as possible.

* * *

"Excuse me…ma'am," he requested, putting both hands on the front desk.

The girl looked up. "Good afternoon, sir, and welcome to the Crypte de Fleur. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to know," he answered with a pause, "if there is…a man named…Mario here."

The girl smiled. "Indeed there is, sir. We're very proud of it too."

"Why?" the other asked.

"You mean Mario with the overalls and the hat, sir?" the girl asked blankly.

"The same," he replied. "Why…are you proud?"

"Well, a person who saves the world staying at our hotel is a big thing, sir," the girl replied. "I mean, he's Mario." On the last word, she made a dramatic "rainbow" gesture with her hands.

He stared at her for a few seconds before replying, "Indeed. And…is he here now?"

"Should be, sir," the girl replied. She took out a microphone and typed the numbers 2-0-2 onto a keypad below. After a few seconds of ringing, a robotic voice told them:

"_Hello, this is room 202 of the Crypte de Fleur. The occupants of this room are not present at the moment, but if you leave a message, we will deliver it to the occupants the next time they use the telephone."_

The voice then repeated the message in four other languages, and then a beep sounded from the microphone.

"What would you like me to say?" the girl at the desk asked.

He stared at her for a few seconds before replying, "Oh, that's okay…I'll go see…if someone is there anyway."

The girl furrowed her eyebrows. "Very good sir," she replied before sitting down on a chair behind the desk.

* * *

Knocking on the door with a yellow plaque reading "202" for the third time, he called, "Mister Mario! Are you…in there? Mario?" No one answered.

Sighing, he turned around and started for the stairs. He then remembered what the girl at the desk had said about Mario saving the world. Was that what she'd said? He thought so…

He wished he listened more often.

He suddenly had an idea. What if…no, that wouldn't be possible. No one would be so stupid as to go there, especially after he'd specifically told the group not to…but if he had…

He'd have to risk it. Who knew, maybe they hadn't gone into the pit yet. He could only shudder at the thought of what might have happened to them if they had…

* * *

Mario reached back and crashed his hammer down hard on Smudgey's pot. The boss winced in pain but did not seem to be very hurt. He opened his mouth again, much slower now, and shot another beam of sand at Mario. The beam was not affected in speed in the slightest, and Mario was caught off guard and thrown back again.

"Strong little cretin, aren't you?" he muttered, standing up again and trying to advance towards the boss once more. "Not for long!" he shouted.

By now, his partners had made it to Smudgey as well, and were beginning to attack. Just as Mario reached them, however, Koopetto threw his shell at Smudgey and the pot began to crack. It then promptly smashed into pieces, leaving Smudgey immobilized and with a free wrist on the floor. Mario was confused on just how that worked, but he wasn't going to argue. "Attack, guys!" he ordered, and they did. Mario wailed on Smudgey as many times as he could.

After about twenty seconds, the boss suddenly hopped high up in the air, landing with a furious quake. The party flew five feet in the air. Smudgey released another beam of sand, but this one spanned the whole room, hitting the entire party. Mario stood himself up once more, this time with effort. Smudgey had apparently gotten over the Time Warp.

Mario ran, though his head now pained him with each step, back towards the boss. Smudgey smiled a crooked, yellow-toothy grin at him; he could probably tell Mario had a headache. He was about to breath another beam of sand when he was struck smartly in the "back" by a chuck of Snow's fire. He whipped around at Mario's partners and glared. Mario was coming up the boss when he suddenly hopped into the air again and flew upwards until the party could not see him anymore. In an instant, Mario knew what he was going to do. "Run, guys!" he shouted. The party sprinted away from the center of the room, and after a few seconds Smudgey crashed down where they had been. This not only shook the room, but Mario thought Smudgey had actually made it descend.

Then he realized it was still descending. The expanse of sand was sinking. Mario was worried they would crash into a mineshaft or something when he saw the floor. It was only the sand that was lowering, through a small hole in the floor. They party and the boss now stood on glass tiles. Smudgey grinned evilly at the party. Mario wasn't sure why, because walking on glass had to be easier than trudging through sand-and then he tried to move. He slipped immediately afterwards. _On no…_he thought. _Now what?_

Mario walked as quickly but as carefully as he could back to Smudgey. His partners sneaked up on him from behind. Smudgey shot another sand beam at Mario, who was knocked back again. Just then, Goomessa leaped into the air and Multibonked the boss. Mario was impressed, but he would have been happier if he had not been rubbing his head. Koopetto delivered a hit at Smudgey soon after, with his shell on fire. Fluzz jumped on top of the boss and vacuumed out some of his health.

Mario decided if he was careful enough, he could probably make it across the glass by running. Advancing toward the boss, he brandished his trusty hammer once more. Luckily, he made it without slipping and attracting attention again. But just as he was about to hit Smudgey again, the boss leaped again, and by some sorcery, a new pot materialized around the boss. He landed on the ground lightly this time.

No sooner had he landed than Snow shot a chuck of fire at his pot, and Goomessa Headbonked it. He rolled his side-faced eyes and shot another beam at her. She was knocked far across the room. Mario hit the pot with his hammer and it shattered again. The boss turned to him again and shouted, "You cannot get the better of me! You can't…"

Mario could tell he was worried, and he was losing health too.

He shot a beam of sand at Koopetto, who flew across the room, amongst quite a bit of sand, to join Goomessa. Snow threw a chuck of ice at him. Mario hit him once again with his hammer.

He shot straight and stiff into the air. He flew upwards for a moment. While he was up, his pot fell down of his wrist and bounced on the glass floor. Smudgey himself then crashed down again. Mario turned and jumped just as the boss crashed through the glass, making a much larger hole.

Goomessa and Koopetto were by now running back to the rest of the party. "What happened?" Goomessa asked bewilderedly.

"He's gone," Snow answered.

"You know, I forgot to tell him something," Mario commented. "He _did_ have something in his teeth."

The others stared confusedly at him. Mario was about to defend himself (though he would not have known how) when Snow called out from across the room.

"Hey, guys, there's a hole in the wall here! Maybe it's like an exit!"

The rest of the party joined her and looked at the hole she was talking about. It was about twenty feet off the ground. "Maybe you're right," Mario mused. "Nice observation."

He was wondering how they would go about getting up there when he heard another voice calling his name. He whipped around to look at the door and saw just about the last person that he would want to see right now-Geoffrey. He wore a brown overcoat, a bowler hat, and boots-much different from what he had been wearing on the tour. Now all he needed was a whip.

"Mario! Thank goodness you're here! I've been looking all over for you!"

"Have you now?" Mario asked exasperatedly.

"Why, of course! I wanted to discuss with you-wait…Why is the floor-and why is there…Wait! Don't tell me…you defeated Smudgey?"

"Smudgey?" Mario repeated. "You knew about him? You had no idea what might be down here when we were on the tour!"

"Oh, yes, well…about that…" Geoffrey stammered. "I, um, well I…lied…Okay, I'll explain! See, I hold tours to the ruins every week in the hopes that someone will offer to go into the Sandpit and defeat the monster that lives there…Heaven knows I've tried to do it myself…"

Mario was shocked by the sudden change in Geoffrey's personality. Geoffrey looked back up at Mario and smiled. "Thank you."

Mario was about to reply when the room began to change in figure. The blue glass and cracked walls changed to white crystals, the hole in the floor was patched up, and a silver cage appeared in the middle. Mario was beginning to get used to this.

He could only assume the pot left behind by Smudgey was the Cloud Fragment, so he picked it up and walked to the cage with it. Sure enough, The indent in the front of the cage this time was shaped much like a large pot. Mario placed the Fragment inside the indent, the cage disappeared, and the Fragment floated upwards. In it's former place was a small figure that seemed to be lying down. Mario was about to step forward when the figure rose. It was the Fuzzy guardian, just as Ramone had said it would be.

"Mario! You're here!" he exclaimed in a hyper tone. "I'm amazed-well really I'm not surprised that you made it, I just didn't expect you to make it so soon! You're amazing! I am Roberto Asterol. Thank you so much for saving me!"

Mario shrugged. "It was nothing," he replied.

"I can't believe you defeated Smudgey either!"

"Was he with Troy, by the way?" Mario asked.

"No, in fact," Roberto answered. "He was his own force. But now he's gone, thanks to you, Mario!"

The Cloud Fragment floated down toward Mario. "Take the Fragment," Roberto told him. "You can use the special move Charge with it. It will raise your attack and defense abilities for a few minutes. I hope this proves helpful."

Mario nodded. "Of course, Roberto. Thanks. Now…how do we get out of here? Snow here pointed this hole out to us-" and he pointed to the hole "but we have no idea how to get up there."

"I see…" Roberto said. "Very good. I should say your intuition was a fine one, Snow." Then turning to Mario, he proclaimed, in a low serious voice:

"Intuition. Intuition will get you far. If you think it's the right thing, it probably is."

Mario blinked.

"Not to worry!" Geoffrey told them. "For I have a rope!"

Mario snorted as the Koopa made for the hole, followed by Roberto and the party.

Geoffrey threw his rope upwards, catching it on a crystal jutting out of the wall. He told the others they'd have to climb it. Mario rolled his eyes. Like that was anything new.

Once the entire group had made it to the top, Geoffrey instructed them to follow him.

"Just like yesterday," Snow muttered.

Geoffrey led through a large tunnel, which slowly escalated until suddenly they couldn't go any further. Geoffrey told them not to worry again and pushed the ceiling out. It was a trap door.

"This place is strange," Roberto commented.

"Sure is," Geoffrey replied, although his tone might have implied that the ruins were fun rather than odd.

Mario was the last person to step out of the trap door. He looked around and was shocked to find that they were right in the middle of Tique. It was dark outside too. How could the tunnel have led that far out, and how could they spend so much time in the ruins?

He was about to ask Geoffrey this when the Koopa turned and took his hand, shaking it vigorously. "I'd like to thank you again so much for defeating Smudgey for me-I mean, us-I mean, Tique. It means a lot. Thank you for making the choice of being a hero, and-"

"Yes, I made a choice to be a hero, and now I choose to yank my hand away from yours and receive physical help for my fingers," Mario interrupted him. Geoffrey apologized.

Then Mario remembered something. "Guys, we never got plane tickets back to Paratonis!" he exclaimed. His partners stared confusedly before comprehension dawned on their faces.

"This isn't good," Goomessa said, frustrated. "How are we going to get back? I don't suppose there's actually an airport here?"

"There is…" Geoffrey answered, "but they're not giving out tickets today. Wait!" he suddenly cried. "I think…yes! I have tickets that I was going to use to bring some of my friends to a party a few weeks ago."

"How many do you have?" Mario asked.

Geoffrey counted them and replied, "Eight. And you need…six."

"Oh, Geoffrey, I couldn't just take them from you," Mario replied. "How much do you-"

"Yes you could," Geoffrey interrupted him. "I'm not using them…so why shouldn't you have them?"

"Because you paid a fortune for those," Mario answered.

"Zero!" Geoffrey told him. "Since I'm part of the travel business in Tique, I get a 100% discount on all bills and tickets for travelling from and to here."

Mario bit his lip. "Are you sure?"

"Of course!"

After a pause Mario said, "Thank you, Geoffrey," and Geoffrey handed him six of the tickets.

"But…it looks like you'll have to sleep at the hotel again tonight," Geoffrey told him. "It's seven o' clock in the evening."

Mario nodded. "Thanks so much, Geoffrey."

Geoffrey only smiled as the group walked off to the hotel.

* * *

**That's it for today! What do you think (ahem magic green button ahem)? Have you noticed something consistent about the guardians yet? I mentioned it before…Did you figure it out yet?**

**Anyway, I have nothing else special to say, except remember that now both Amber's and Ramone's names are set and unchangeable. Just saying.**

**So, um…**

**See ya!**


	31. Hello, Goodbye: Part VI

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! This would be part six of chapter three of my original story, The Legend of the Clouds. All right…sorry for the wait for the last chapter and this one too, the evil Comcast aliens decided to shut off our Internet for no reason at all…stupid Comcast aliens.**

_**Anyway**_**, I don't own Mario or anything included in it. If I did I wouldn't live in an apartment. Meh…**

**So…part six: take one-and go!**

* * *

When morning finally came, Mario blinked open his eyes and sat up. Looking at his clock, he discovered it was 6:32. The party would want to leave soon if they were to get to the airport by seven. He threw the covers back and thought again of the previous day. They had fought three boss enemies now, but Mario felt Smudgey was both the hardest and the freakiest so far. He had been quite scary.

Turning to his left, he roused Fluzz. The Fuzzy opened his eyes and turned to Mario. "That was _some_ day yesterday, wasn't it?" he said groggily. Mario chuckled.

"Sure was," he replied. "We should get going to catch the plane."

Fluzz stretched-as far as he could-and hopped out of the foldout bed. Mario awakened his other partners and Roberto. After everybody was awake, the group took the elevator back to the lobby, and Mario gave the girl at the front desk sixty coins.

As Mario was about to open the front door, she suddenly called after him. "Mister Mario?" she said. "I have something I have to tell you."

Mario walked back to the desk. "Yes?" he asked cautiously.

"A Koopa was inquiring for you earlier. He said he needed to speak to you. I'm not sure what his name was, but he stared into space, he had a rather high voice…"

Mario and his partners looked at each other. "Geoffrey," they all said. "Don't worry," Mario told the lady at the desk. "It's taken care of."

After they left the hotel, Mario looked around and saw, at the other end of town, a large building reading "Ferris Airlines". He and the others made for that building. Tique gave the illusion of being larger than it was, however, and they reached the airport within minutes. Inside, the front desk was right in the first room. Mario presented the man at the desk with their tickets. He approved and stamped each one, and before long the group was on the plane again.

* * *

Mario was pleasantly surprised to discover that the tickets Geoffrey had given them had been first-class. The trip back to Paratonis was much more comfortable than the one from it. It would have been the perfect flight-if it had not been so long. Not only did the party have to endure the length of the trip from Paratonis to the Sands, but also they had to wait for a few extra hours while the plane made three other stops. Mario was about to explode hearing the annoying honey voice of the flight attendant over and over again.

They saw her for the first time as the plane was making its third stop at some place called Solo Springs. A small silver Bob-bomb waddled out of the door leading to the engine room and smiled at everybody still on the plane-which meant the party and a loudly snoring Goomba across from Mario and Snow.

She walked up to Mario and asked politely, "Are you still on? You're going to Paratonis?"

Mario rubbed his forehead. "Yep, that's where we're going," he replied.

"Well, I won't stop you," she said uncertainly. "My name is Jovi Senferi. If you need me, just call me over. If you look up, you'll see a headset with a microphone. You may use if to speak to any members of the airplane staff."

Mario chuckled-it was an interesting method of communication. "Thanks," he said to Jovi. Jovi told him not to mention it and skipped back into the engine room. For a moment Mario wondered why she was going there, but he was tired anyway. He decided some sleep wouldn't do him too bad.

* * *

After about another hour, the plane stopped again. Mario fell out of his chair this time, accompanied by everyone else except the sleeping Goomba and Goomessa-maybe their small size prevented them from being thrown forward. Mario was jealous.

Jovi walked in again and announced, "For those of you getting off at Paratonis, please leave the plane at this time, and those who are arriving on the plane to Paratonis bound for Ferris Sands or one of the other stops mentioned on the included brochure of the Airlines-" and she took a deep breath, "please board the plane now."

Mario stood up and brushed himself off. Thanking Jovi, he walked out the door opposite the one to the engine room, in the direction of the exit. Jovi smiled as the party began to leave.

Mario noticed the sleeping Goomba never got up to leave the plane. Walking back through the door after telling his friends to wait for him, he asked Jovi why he wasn't leaving. Jovi looked at the Goomba and shook her head. "He never leaves. He got on the plane two months ago and he's been living on the cafe and lemonade ever since."

Mario shuddered at the thought of staying on this plane for two months. Deciding he was done with freaks in Ferris Sands (in the forms of eccentric tour guides, overly happy flight attendants, and very, very frequent flyers), he hurried out the door.

Outside the airport, Mario had to take a minute to remember where the party was supposed to be going. He remembered they should go to Gillis to see where to go next. As he ferreted through his pockets for the map to show them how to get back to Gillisville, he planned the whole trip out in his mind: The party would go to Gillis's house; Gillis would act astonished to see them; Mario would tell his they'd found Roberto; Gillis would freak; he would then ask them for every detail about the Sands; and then he would tell them where to find the next Fragment and send them on their way without so much as a good luck or a handshake.

Gillis was weird that way.

He finally found the map and looked it over. "We need to go back that way," he told the others, pointing south. "Luckily we don't have to hurry this time."

So they took their sweet time heading in the direction of Gillisville. Goomessa even stopped them to buy a heart necklace on sale (which broke about five minutes after they left the stand-Goomessa sobbed for a few minutes before they came upon a stand selling charm bracelets).

Eventually they finally reached the pipe leading to Gillisville. After some odd arguing over whom should be the first in to tell Gillis about the Fragment, it was suddenly agreed that Mario should go first. Mario shrugged-he could care less-and entered the pipe, followed by the rest of the group.

Mario walked up the steps to Gillis's house and knocked. Gillis must have been standing there waiting, because the door opened before he could take his hand off it. "Oh, Mario, you're here! I didn't expect you this early!" he exclaimed.

"Then why where you standing next to the door?" Mario asked.

"I was dusting it," Gillis defended. "Anyway…what brings you here?"

"Like you don't know," Mario replied sarcastically. "We found-"

"The third Cloud Fragment?" Gillis finished.

"Yes…" Mario answered, annoyed. "And we also have our guardian with us. Roberto!"

The guardian hopped between Mario and Goomessa in front of Gillis. Gillis took a deep breath and asked, "Roberto or Mr. Asterol?"

"Roberto, please," the Fuzzy answered.

"Figures."

"What does he mean?" Roberto asked Mario.

"Nothing," Mario answered.

"I am amazed, though," Gillis said, turning back to Mario, "at your success so far. I'm very glad to be able to help."

"Don't worry about that, Gillis," Mario assured him. "All we need to do is know where to find the next Fragment so we can get going."

Gillis blinked.

"Gillis, do you know where the Fragment is?"

Gillis bit his lip and stared at his feet. Looking up, he admitted, "No, I don't know. I'm so sorry, but I couldn't…"

"Couldn't what?" Mario urged.

"Every time you would leave to find a Fragment, I would sit down and think. And each time, I would get a sort of vision of where the next one was. I told you this before, but I was rather vague…

"But this time, it didn't come. I couldn't have any kind of vision of where you should go. I don't know why…I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, Gillis!" Mario assured him again, although _he_ was worried. They didn't have anyone else who knew a thing about where the Fragments might be.

Or so he thought.

Just as he was finishing his sentence, there was another knock on the door. Mario turned around to look at it. He turned back to Gillis, who shrugged and told him to answer.

Mario opened the door to a young woman with her hands tangling hair that was both red and blonde. She looked at Mario with an oddly confused stare. "Oh, hello," she greeted him awkwardly. "I didn't expect _you_ to answer the door."

Mario, taken aback, took a few steps backward. Gillis stepped in front of him. "Who are you? And what can we do for you?" he asked.

"My name is…not important right now," the girl answered. "I'm here to tell you something you need to know."

"Name first," Gillis replied firmly.

"Fine…My name is Madeline St. Valentine, but you can call me Maddie, and I come with information regarding the Cloud Fragments."

Mario stepped forward again. "Do you?"

"Yes. King Troy has found the next one, but it will take some time for his forces to get to Sadiel. Sadiel," she repeated, "is the location of the next Fragment you must find. Luckily I know of a shortcut there that King Troy does not. But you must still hurry to retrieve it. If you do not get it before the end of tomorrow night, Troy will have it for good."

"Why is that?" Mario inquired.

"It doesn't matter," Maddie replied, sounding irritated. "All you have to do is go to Sadiel quickly and take the Fragment back. That's all.

"Another thing, I need you to stay away from King Troy's castle. He told me he had a plan involving the princess and you. He said that he wants to use Princess Peach as bait to lure you to his castle. This way, he says, he would threaten the world into tending to his every whim. And yes," she added, seeing the look on Mario's face, "the princess is alive. She told me to find you and tell you so."

"Why did you happen to come here?" Gillis asked.

"I thought you might have seen him, being the mayor of a town close to Plathora and all, but I guess I lucked out finding Mario here," Maddie answered.

Mario chuckled.

"To find Sadiel," Maddie continued, "you'll have to use the Starstrike Gate. It's in Paratonis. It's a very secluded area on the very edges of town. You have to have a membership to the Starstrike Pub to be able to use it. Very difficult to get to, but much easier than Sadiel Trail."

She then sighed, as if relieved to have told the party everything they needed to know.

Mario stepped forward, shook her hand, and said, "Thank you very much, Madeline. You have helped us a lot with what you told us."

"I said you can call me Maddie," she reiterated.

Mario studied his shoes.

* * *

**And I think we're coming up on the end here! I would have added the rest of the party getting to the next place, but I feel that can be placed in the beginning of chapter four instead. ****Which is, by the way, going to be quite long. Longer than this chapter at least. **

******And it will include a super special fire-breathing awesome-face tcao-filled plot twist! OOH SPOILERS**

**So tell me what you thought, please! And…**

**Tell me also what you thought of the "introduction" to the flight attendant (and of Maddie to Mario if you want). Jovi will be **_**very**_** important later…much later. OOH SPOILERS**

**But anyway, now that we have almost finished chapter three, it will be time for another interlude…next time on Paper Mario: The Legend of the Clouds!**

**By the way, you'll have to click on the magic green button if you want to know why I said tcao. I****t's an "inside joke".**

**See ya!**


	32. Hello, Goodbye: Interlude

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here we are at the special interlude of chapter three of my first story-The Legend of the Clouds. Yay. Sorry this one took so long, I couldn't get time to write.**

**And since I'm having comedic block tonight, I'll just cut to the chase.**

**I don't own Mario or anything included in it. I don't own Pokemon either. If I did I would get to eat cheese every day. See, **_**now**_** the comedy kicks in.**

**Unless you didn't find that funny…**

**Anyway, it's time for us to start, so I'll count us off…10…9…8…**

**Pikachu: (from off stage) JUST GO!**

**321go!**

* * *

While Troy was once again pacing his bedroom and staring at the floor, he was much more comfortable now than before. He had Maddie to tell Mario to come to his castle, and the princess captured as incentive to arrive. Everything was going according to plan. Mario had no reason not to come to Troy and ask for Peach back, and when he did, Troy would be able to look for the rest of the Cloud Fragments alone, with no one to stop him.

It was like a game of chess. Mario was the king of the white side. He was white because he had gone for the Fragments first. Those irritating friends of his were his bishops and rooks and knights. Peach was the queen, but Troy had captured her. And all of Mario's other helpers who assisted him told him where to go and what to do were his pawns. Troy could most easily pick them off one by one.

Troy was the king of the black side. His close friends and soldiers were his other important pieces, Maybe Twink was one of them…but he whined so much, so maybe not. And Troy's other subordinates were his own pawns. He didn't know who his queen was. Maybe it was Maddie? Yes, Maddie was good for that position.

Maddie was the best on his squad of officials. She always did as she was told, she never complained, and she could always drop what she was doing, no matter how important.

Plus, she was nice. She could always be counted on to bring joy into every room she entered. It was like everything she touched turned to sugar. And she was pretty too. She was very independent of style and looks, yet she attained them with ease.

Yes, Maddie was perfect. She was so amazingly perfect.

Troy began to laugh at her perfection. He might have laughed until he passed out, but there was a knock on the door. Half expecting it to be Maddie, he called in a bright voice, "Come in!"

The door opened. It was Twink. Troy's shoulders sagged. "What do you want, Twink?" he asked exasperatedly.

Twink chuckled. "What, did I interrupt you talking to your invisible girlfriend? I wonder where she went."

Troy blinked. "I was actually talking?" he demanded. Twink nodded.

"Don't you ever tell Maddie I said that stuff," Troy warned as threateningly as he could over his embarrassment. "Or I'll…I'll…"

Twink laughed for a moment. "Don't worry, Troy, I won't tell her. You know, as long as you're not a jerk to me."

Troy rolled his eyes.

"By the way, Troy," Twink continued, "I really like those lemon waters you get sometimes…Could I have one?"

Troy was about to shout at Twink for asking before he realized Twink would see that as rude. So he reluctantly reached into his bedroom refrigerator and handed Twink a bottle of lemon-flavored water.

"And an ice cream cone?" Twink asked.

"Don't push your luck."

"Okay."

"Why are you here anyway, Twink?" Troy asked, sitting on his bed with his arms crossed.

Twink bit his lip. "You promise not to be a jerk?"

Troy narrowed his eyes. "Promise."

"Mario found the third Cloud Fragment. It was in a place called Ferris Ruins."

"We searched there!" Troy yelled to no one in particular.

"I know," Twink replied, "but Mario found it in the Sandpit of Sacrifice. We never looked there."

"And why would we?" Troy demanded, lying down on the bed, his top hat falling from his head. A black grainy cloth was stretched over his face, so that he could see out, but no one else could see in. Only his black, bushy hair could be seen.

"But look on the bright side, Troy," Twink assured him. "We know where the _next_ Fragment is, and Mario probably doesn't, so we might still be in business."

Troy sat up again, briefly dusting his hat and placing it back on his head. "Who is 'we'? You're not really helping us find the Fragments. But you're right," he added. "If Mario doesn't get to Sadiel before we do, then we have a chance."

"You know, now that you mention it, _you're_ not actually going to Sadiel either, aren't you?" Twink said accusingly.

"Well, no," Troy admitted. "I've sent Kat and Violon to do it. They're much more expendable."

"They're your daughters!" Twink cried.

"Yes, well…" Troy didn't finish the sentence. "Anyway, as long as the girls can retrieve the Fragment before Mario does, we'll be much better off."

"But Troy, Mario will have three Fragments, and we'll only have one."

"Not true. We have a Fragment already," Troy told him.

"What? We do? Since when?"

Troy chuckled and reached into a dresser drawer, pulling out a small marble pin. It was studded in gold with a design resembling a shamrock. "This is it," he said to Twink, grinning.

"But it's so small!" Twink protested, looking confusedly at the pin. "How can that be a Cloud Fragment? And where did we get it?"

"Sistef got it for us," Troy answered. "Her best friend bought it from some merchant who I'm guessing found it on the ground somewhere. But it doesn't matter how she got it. We have it, and I can use that fact and wave it in Mario's face. Mario won't be able to resist. And when I have him captured, I will be able to take his Fragments and find the others without any trouble whatsoever. Nothing can go wrong!"

"Unless Mario sees through the plan," Twink added.

"Mario _can't_ see through the plan," Troy insisted, putting the Fragment back in its drawer. "I know how Mario works. He goes after the first thing that seems important to him. In a blind determination, he drops everything he is doing to pursue his goals. He will come to save Peach, no doubt about it."

Twink mulled this over. "So you're not worried that Maddie might tell Mario the plan? Which, by the way, do you realize you've told me your plan even though you didn't want me to know before?"

Troy snorted. "That doesn't matter anymore," he replied. "If you tell, I can just have you killed. Simple."

Twink shuddered.

"And as for Maddie," Troy continued, "I have nothing to worry about. She wouldn't disobey me. She won't tell Peach of the plan. It's not a problem."

* * *

Peach was asleep in her bedroom for the first time since she had been taken to Troy's castle. Her bed wasn't very comfortable-stuffed with straw and fitted with a single sheet and no pillow, it wasn't exactly a bed you would normally choose the sleep in-but she was too tired to care.

A knock sounded through the room. The room was shaped so that it echoed well, and Peach woke almost instantly. She blinked a few times to get the sleep out of her eyes, and then turned to what she thought was the doorway. "Hello, Maddie," she called.

Maddie opened the door and walked in, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. They seemed more blonde today than yesterday. Presently, after closing the sliding doors, Maddie answered, "Don't say that. If it's one of Troy's other close people who's at the door instead of me, they'll know I've been here."

Peach frowned at the floor. "Sorry, Maddie."

"Don't worry about it," Maddie replied. "I just came to tell you that I've told Mario all you wanted me to. I told him you're okay-well, as a relative term, anyway-and that you want to wish him good luck. I also told him where to find the next Cloud Fragment." Before Peach could ask how Maddie knew where it was, she added, "King Troy found it in a place called Sadiel after our talk yesterday."

"Where is Sadiel?" Peach asked. "What's it like? Who lives there? I want to now everything."

Maddie chuckled. "Sadiel is far north of here. It's actually very cold there."

Peach shivered, as though just being told of the place made her cold.

"They have this festival in Sadiel for the few days when-"

Maddie was cut off by the sound of the door opening again. Maddie gasped and ducked behind Peach's bed, trying to make herself as small as possible. Peach bit her lip. Who could be coming in here? And why did it have to be now?

She got her answer shortly as Troy strolled into the room with his arms at his sides. His scepter pointed straight at Peach, and though she knew (or at least was pretty sure) she would not be struck, the thing still scared her. Troy adjusted the hat on his head, positioning it so that it cast a shadow over his face and obscured it from light. "Princess," he said quietly and in a low voice, "why do I hear voices coming from your room? I know nobody else can be in here, right?"

Peach stared back up at him indignantly. "Well…I talk to myself sometimes because there's no one else to talk to."

Pulling his cape tighter around his shoulders, Troy answered, "Do you now? Well."

"Well what?"

"We can't have that…Wait one moment, princess."

He took out something that looked like a PDA. Punching in a few numbers on it, he looked at Peach. Peach couldn't be sure what face he was looking at her with, but she didn't care.

Her disinterest turned to horror when she heard a ring sound behind her. Tory had called Maddie to ask her something, but she was right here! What would Troy do when he found out Maddie was in here?

Peach heard Maddie fidget with a phone behind her and saw her lay on it, suppressing the sound. Troy looked around the room, as if he'd heard the first ring too and was confused, but shrugged afterwards. "I guess she's not there. Don't worry princess, you will be moved eventually."

"Why's that?" Peach asked, both surprised and confused. "Why would you move me now?"

Tory hesitated. "I have nothing else to say, princess. Now, I believe you were taking a nap? I should let you get back to that."

With that, he whipped around and left without another word. Peach couldn't decide whether she was relieved or terrified. Tory knew something was up with Peach. She couldn't deny it.

* * *

Trudging through the gravel streets of RitzelTown didn't do any favors for Bowser's patience or his feet. That Gillis guy had scammed him for sure. But at least Bowser would be able to beat Mario to that Fragment. He could be sure of that.

What he didn't understand was why everyone greeted him as kindly as though he was his or her close relative. It was sickening. This place was so weird.

He was about to suggest to Kammy that they just look for an official when a Toadette ran into him. She fell to the ground. Bowser glared at her.

She stood up and began to speak. "Hello, kind sir, my name is Tess T. Would you be so kind as to take a poster? I'm looking for someone."

"And I care about this how?" Bowser growled.

"Well, she's a close friend of mine."

Bowser kept glaring at her.

"It would make me really grateful?"

Bowser rolled his eyes. The Toadette sighed and unrolled one of the posters, which read, "Missing Singer, last seen at her house at 742 Listonn Lane, answers to Snowy, Oracle, and Kitty, if found please contact at 555-0125." It also showed a poorly drawn portrait of a Toadette in a white blouse a red vest with hot pink mushroom spots.

"The person is Snow T."

But Bowser continued to stare. Kammy, however, was ecstatic.

"Help find Snow T.? Yes, of course we'll take a poster! She's so cool!" she shouted.

Bowser looked confusedly at Kammy. "Who is this Snow T. person? I've never heard of her in my life."  
The girls blinked at him.

Tess T. shrugged and continued. "Thank you miss, anyway, for taking a poster. It really means a lot, because Snow T. is my best friend. Well, except for Feiss and Craff, but whatever, Snow is my best friend."

Kammy rolled the poster back up and stuck it in her pocket. Bowser rolled his eyes again and stormed off, Kammy following close behind. As they walked off, Bowser heard her mutter, "Although…she did say she wanted to go to Lucifer's Isle sometime…I should ask her boss about that."

Bowser sprinted back toward her. "Hey, did you just say Lucifer's Isle? She went there?" he demanded.

"I don't know, maybe," Tess replied, scared. "She said she'd like to. But that was two days ago…"

"Then she might have met Mario," Kammy commented.

"Oh, yeah…Now that you mention it, she did say something about a Mario guy," Tess mused. "When she talked to me about him, she sounded angry and a bit nervous. I think he bumped into him in the street or something. He said he needed her permission to go to the Isle. I'm not-"

"Whatever!" Bowser cut her off. "All I want to know is, do you think Mario went there with her? Or without her? I really don't care?"

"I don't know, okay?" Tess shouted back. "Leave me alone about it, okay? Just let me find my friend!"

Bowser scowled. "One more question then. Where _is_ Lucifer's Isle?"

"In the Central Music Hall," Tess answered, pointing to a large building twenty yards away. Bowser left immediately for the hall to find Lucifer's Isle.

Tess smoothed out her dress and frowned. "And my birthday is coming up soon. I thought people were supposed to be _nice_ to you before your birthday."

* * *

"People just love scamming me, don't they?" Bowser thought aloud, frustrated, as he walked through the forests of Lucifer's Isle. "If I find that Tess T. girl again, I'll-"

But he was cut off when he tripped over a riverbank into the water. Kammy sighed and helped him out.

"Your Insistiveness, are you quite sure we should be still looking for this cloud Fragment? We could just go to that Troy guy's castle and take Princess Peach back."

"Which we need the Cloud Fragments to do," Bowser reminded her.

"But either way, Lord Bowser, if it's been two days since Mario went to this place, isn't it likely that he has already found the Cloud Fragment here? We should get a head start on the next location instead of staying here."

"I hate it when you're right, Kammy."

"Well noted, sir," Kammy replied.

"Well, then, where do you suppose the next Fragment is?" Bowser asked smugly.

"We could just head to the closest location from here. That would be Ferris Sands."

"I've heard of that place…" Bowser mused.

"So we should head there. If we're lucky, we can find a Fragment there. And if we're super lucky, we might get it before Mario."

"I love it when you're right, Kammy!"

* * *

**There we go! Finally we're done with chapter three! Again, sorry this took so long! But I hadded to take long! I had a lazy attack and writer's block at the same time… So tell me what you thought of this part, and this chapter. Please? The puppy wants you to…**

**IT DOES IT REALLY DOES IT REALLY DOES!**

**You win a cookie if you know where I got that. I don't own the thing though.**

**One side note, yes Troy really means Sistef, not Sister. You'll learn about her...eventually.**


	33. SchoolTime: Part I

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! At last, we have arrived at the fourth chapter of my first original story, Legend of the Clouds. Part one coming right up. And by the way? Cheese!**

**Anyway…it's time for us to start, so let's go.**

* * *

"So should we get going to Sadiel?" Goomessa suggested. "Gillis did say we have to get some kind of ticket to get there, so we should probably get a head start on it. What do you think, Mario?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Snow commented. "Isn't it supposed to be like some kind of pub or something? You know, where you get the tickets? That sounds nice."

"Snow," Koopetto chuckled, "I don't think you'd be the one to say going to a pub was 'nice'."

Snow crossed her arms. "But it's fun! Meeting funny people you don't have to remember the names of, staying for hours and hours and trying everything they have…"

"Snow…what exactly do you mean by, 'everything they have'?" Fluzz murmured.

Snow hung her head. The others stared awkwardly at her.

"Besides, Snow, didn't you say you'd never left RitzelTown in your life?" Goomessa recalled. "And RitzelTown doesn't seem like the kind of place to have bars everywhere."

"Sure it does!" Snow beamed.

"So anyway, what do you think of us going there now, Mario?" Goomessa asked again, desiring to change the subject.

Mario narrowed his eyebrows. "We could…but there's something I need to get for us first."

"What's that?" Goomessa asked.

"You'll find out when we get there," Mario replied, grinning. "Now…how does one get there from here…"

"Really, Mario, what are you saying? Where are we going?"

* * *

"Thanks, Goombella," Mario said with a smile. He had remembered Rougeport could be gotten to on a ship, and had ordered one from Paratonis.

Before, he had thought about how Goomessa had mentioned wanting a book to help her figure out enemies, and he knew just where to find one. His first partner of his most recent such adventure had kindly given the book to him.

"No problem, Mario," she answered. "I bought the newest edition of this book, but then I figured, why did I buy it anyway, I'll never use it. And since you need it now, why not?"

Mario turned back around and handed the book to Goomessa. Goombella smiled at the Goombette. "So you're Goomessa?" she asked. "Very nice. And you guys-Whoa!"

She gawked at Snow. "I know who _you_ are! Mario, why is Snow T. with you?"

"It's…a long story."

"That reminds me," Goombella mused, "you haven't told me what kind of cool adventure you're going on now. What are you doing? I bet it's important! Who's the bad dude? Or girl? Tell me!"

Mario put his hands in front of his face to quiet her and then, once again, he told the story of the Cloud Fragments, including Koopetto's and Fluzz's names. Goombella was open-mouthed by the time he was finished. "That is awesome," he remarked. "I can't believe there are actually things called Cloud Fragments. It's such a weird name…and I've never even heard of them before! And that Troy guy…he seems really mean."

"You don't know the half of Troy," Mario assured her. "He's a freak."

"And Maddie," Goombella muttered. "Do you trust her?"

"Well, she's our only lead to the next Fragment," Mario reminded her.

"What if she's leading you into a trap?" Goombella insisted. "She seems kinda shifty to me. Why would someone who's worked with the Big Cheese all her life, and who has his complete trust, deceive him? It doesn't make any sense."

Mario thought about that. It might be true, but they had no choice but to do what Maddie told them to. He told this to Goombella.

"Okay," the Goomba replied. "It's your choice. Maybe you're right."

"Thanks again for the book," Goomessa beamed. "This is very kind."

"Oh, no problem!" Goombella answered. "Like I said, I'll never need it."

Mario noticed a tinge of regret as she said the last sentence.

* * *

The party made their way back to Paratonis after about an hour-long sail. They had rough weather, but Mario wasn't going to let that ruin his sense of accomplishment so far. He had almost gathered a full half of all of the cloud Fragments, and they were on their way to the fourth.

They'd just need to find the entrance to Sadiel. Mario realized they would want to stock up on supplies again. He searched his pockets for the map of Paratonis. When he pulled it out, he frowned. It was rather beat up by now. He decided they'd have to get themselves another.

He stopped a Goomba and asked him where to find the Tourist Center. The Goomba gruffly gestured due south and Mario saw the red building. They walked toward the building and inside. Melissa was still sitting at her desk doing paperwork with a blank expression on her face. Mario requested for another map, which she handed over without the least bit of enthusiasm. Mario rolled his eyes and left.

He looked over the map for a store and found it immediately, looking up and becoming embarrassed. The store was directly across from them. The party walked in and bought everything they could fit in their pockets-maybe if they were fully loaded they wouldn't have to stock up again soon. Outside, Mario looked on the map again for anything that might say Sadiel. Eventually he found it-right next to the entrance to RitzelTown was a building with microscopic words on it reading "Entrance to Sadiel".

But next to ReitzleTown he had remembered there being a dentist's office and a hardware store. Well, they'd figure it out when they got there.

It was about a half a mile there, so they made it before ten minutes had passed. The dentist's office was to the left of the pipe to RitzelTown, but the building to the left of it on the map claimed to be the entrance to Sadiel. Mario decided to walk in and ask.

Inside was much different than what Mario had expected. This was no dentist's office. It was most definitely a bar. Confused beyond compare, Mario walked up to a counter not too far away and began to speak to the Goomba manning it.

"Hello, sir?"

The Goomba turned and smiled at him. "Hello, and what can I get you all for today?" he asked.

"Well, first," Mario said, "what is this place?"

"It's the entrance to the town of Sadiel," the Goomba replied matter-of-factly.

"But it looks like-"

"An old dentist's office, I know," the Goomba finished for him. "When this place closed down, a man named Perry Johnson got a hold of it. He turned it into a bar that held the secret entrance to Sadiel. So people can travel there and have a good time while they wait."

"So why make it look like a dentist's office?" Mario asked.

"Because Johnson is too cheap to buy paint. Or tools. Or a sign."

"Wait…" Mario requested. "Is Perry Johnson a guy who collects weird things and goes by P.J.?"

"Why, yes he is," the Goomba replied. "Why?"

"No reason…Anyway," Mario continued, "we'd like to buy-" he counted how many people were in the party at this point, "one, two, three, four, five tickets to Sadiel please."

"Sure thing," the Goomba replied, "but they're one hundred coins a pop."

"What?" Mario cried. "Five hundred-okay, fine." He reached into his pockets and pulled out his "secret stash wallet" of coins.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Goomessa cried suddenly. "Dats?"

"Goomessa?" the Goomba asked. Goomessa nodded.

"Dats, I can't believe you're here!" Goomessa shouted. "I wouldn't expect _you_ to be a in a place like this!"

"You either," the other Goomba replied excitedly.

"Guys, this is Dats," Goomessa told the others. "He's a friend of mine."

"How do you two know each other?" Koopetto asked.

"We were in high school together," Goomessa chuckled nervously.

"She! Saved! My! Life!" Dats corrected.

"Well," Goomessa murmured sheepishly, "I may have-"

"On a trip to a big nature teaching place in biology, we were all walking and stuff," Dats interrupted. "And I was bit by a rattlesnake and no one knew except for her! And so she hauled me the two miles to the hospital, and I was just fine after that. Goomessa, I'll never be able to repay you. I just can't!"

Goomessa studied her shoes carefully.

"Goomessa, I did not know that about you," Mario said, impressed.

"Well, it was nothing," Goomessa insisted. "So how much were the tickets?" It was clear she wanted to change the subject again.

"You know, for you, I could give you a discount," Dats answered her. "Fifty coins per ticket."

Goomessa looked at him in shock. Fifty percent off for saving a life?

Then she got an idea. Mario knew because she got that weird grin on her face that said she had an idea. She sighed, a long, wavy sigh. "I guess that'll work," she said to Dats, "but I think that's all we have, and this is awfully important…"

Mario knew what she was doing, and if he wanted it to work, he'd have to stop himself from bursting out laughing.

"I-I'm sorry, that's as l-low as I can go," Dats stuttered. But he practically melted when Goomessa cast him a saddened gaze and sighed again.

"You know what?" Dats asked. "You saved my life. You can have the tickets for free. You're number…45. That means thirty-five people are in front of you."

"Really? We can have them for free?" Mario repeated, trying to act as though he was completely surprised that Dats would say that.

"Yeah…sure, just please Goomessa, stop with the face!"

Goomessa didn't stop.

"And you can have free drinks too," Dats sighed.

"Thanks, Dats!" Goomessa giggled as he handed them the tickets and glasses.

Mario wasn't really listening to Dats's "Don't tell my boss, okay?" as he filled his glass with a small amount of every drink they had.

* * *

It was almost two hours before Dats called number 45. Mario, tired and bored, and a little drunk, almost didn't remember that that was their number. When he did, he told his partners to follow him and made his way back to the counter.

"One last thing before you go please," Dats asked as he ushered them into a small pod. Mario stopped while his partners walked inside. Once he was sure none of Mario's friends could see, Dats kicked Mario in the shins. "_That's_ for bringing Goomessa with you!"

Contrary to that for the pod itself, the wait to get to Sadiel was quite short. Within minutes, the pod had stopped, and Mario could look out and see what was outside. Pine trees made up most of the outside view, but in one particular spot, a gate could be seen with "Sadiel" etched on.

The pod made a hissing sound and slid open, leaving the party to walk toward the gate.

Sadiel was partly covered in snow-most of it had melted, leaving flattened grass in its place. It was a large but modest town; houses dotted the hills, all of them painted blue, black, and/or white. The very first thing Mario noticed was that Stars and Star Children solely inhabited the town. Mario laughed for a second; he remembered a town like this, even though a few different kinds of residents had lived _there_. Here, it was all stars.

The first one to see them wore a rainbow-colored cape. The child smiled wide and flew their way. He then proceeded to greet them, "Good evening friends!" in a stunningly English accent. "Although, I guess it's not much better than the last…"

"What do you mean?" Mario asked earnestly.

"Well, if you've ever been to Sadiel, you'd know it was always evening here," the Star Child told him. There was an arrogant tone to the way he spoke this time.

"How is it possible for it _always_ to be evening?" Goomessa protested.

"Well, this is about the northernmost town in the world. The sun hardly ever rises."

"Do you mean 'hardly' or 'never'?" Mario persisted. This was an interesting prospect, never having day.

"Okay, you got me," the Star Child admitted. "The sun does rise for five days each year. Starting tomorrow in fact. Oh, how we worship those days…They're called the Sun Festival. I know, not very original. Interesting that you should come right before the festival."

"Oh," was all Mario felt obliged to say.

"Hey…" the Star Child said distantly. "Maybe…you would like to stay for the festival? It's very fun."

"That sounds nice," Mario remarked.

"Then you could stay at my house tonight. My name is Wishes, by the way."

"Well, thank you very much, Wishes," Mario said, smiling.

"No problem. Come on. My house is this way. We could have tea and-"

Suddenly he burst into teary laughter.

"What's going on?" Mario demanded.

"You have no idea," Wishes proclaimed, suddenly losing the accent and flying towards his house, beckoning the party to follow.

"Why is it," Goomessa wondered aloud, "that whenever we go somewhere new, the _first_ person we meet is a total wackjob?!"

* * *

**And that's it for today? What did you think? Especially tell me what you thought about me bringing Goombella into the story for two seconds please. Not very original I know (*ahem* that one little guy *ahem*) but it was the only way I could think of to get Goomessa an enemy thingy. So there.**

**And Dats too. Tell me what you thought of Dats.**

**With a please.**

**Also...you'll learn why this chapter is called what it's called near the end. So just wait patiently.**

**And since that's really it...**

**See ya!**


	34. SchoolTime: Part II

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here we are at part two of…you know what? I'm getting frickin tired of this! I honestly don't think I'll say it this time. Or anymore times. I just realized it must be frickin annoying to read what part it is since you guys hopefully have the brains to read a little tab thingy right above this and you can figure out which part it is and most of you don't even read the beginnings anymore!**

**So without further ado, I say with great honor, passion, and some other third thing…let's go!**

* * *

Presently the gang followed Wishes into his house for tea and something else. Mario was excited for the festival, but eventually memory of their actual mission here brought his elation crashing to Earth. They'd have to start searching for the Cloud Fragment soon or Troy would get it.

Then he remembered what Maddie had said about the Fragment. She had told them to get it before tomorrow night. The Sun Festival was tomorrow…Could _that_ have anything to do with it?

No, that was crazy-and partly wishful thinking. Either way, the Fragments came first, so they'd have to postpone staying too long at the festival and hunt for the next Fragment.

Once inside, Mario looked around. The house was quite small-a whopping two rooms made up the palatial estate, a restroom and a kitchen-dining-living-bedroom-and thus it was tightly packed. Every wall of the multipurpose room was lined with some kind of furniture or cookware, and some of it was around the middle, making it hard to get around. Mario stopped dead when he discovered six cups of tea were floating in mid-air. "Wha-"

"Stars have telekinesis, you know," Wishes told him, expecting the unasked question.

"I see," Mario said, asking to sit and thanking Wishes for saying yes.

"So…" Mario muttered awkwardly, taking a sip of the tea. It tasted like dried pine needles and cinnamon. "This is…uh…good," he choked. Wishes frowned.

"It's the only kind we can make," he told Mario. "So many pine needles fall every day we'd flood in them if we didn't keep them in check. And we find making tea with them is the most efficient way of doing that."

"And also the most vomit-inducing," Snow muttered, setting her tea on the floor and earning a reproachful glance from Mario.

"So Wishes," Mario said brightly, "we love your company and all, but we really have to ask something to whoever's in charge. It's very important to us and you, and well, pretty much everybody."

Wishes bit his lip. "Whoever's In Charge is gone on a trip for right now," he admitted, "but I'm Second to Whoever's In Charge. You might ask me."

"Okay," Mario agreed. "It concerns a thing called a Cloud Fragment?"

"A Cloud Fragment? You mean that thing that Freewire found in the forest a week ago? That old thing that we were planning on using tomorrow?"

Mario stared at him in confusion.

"You don't know what I'm talking about," Wishes guessed. He got a couple "Not a clue"s and a few "Huh?"s. Wishes explained.

"See, six or seven days ago, Freewire, a.k.a. Whoever's In Charge, found this shiny bowl thing and rushed it back to us. He said he'd never seen one of them up close before but that he was sure it was part of some Cloud of Dreams thing. He's really smart, so he would know that sort of thing. He said we could use it in the Sun Festival as a kind of statue treasure."

They had hit the jackpot. When it came time for the Sun Festival, they could just take the Cloud Fragment and be done with it. They'd have it in no time!

Mario explained this to Wishes, saying only that they really needed the Cloud Fragment and that it was in everyone's best interest if the party had it, and Wishes listened intently. "That's interesting…" he mused. "I said it was funny that you should come here right before the festival before, and it now it's even more interesting since you needed to be here anyway. It's like it was meant to be…Anyway, I'm sure Freewire will let you have the Fragment. He's very giving and kind. All you'll need to do is attend the festival.

"Uh, but not like that," he finished awkwardly.

"What do you mean?" Mario asked.

"You clothes!" Wishes answered. "They're very dirty and torn up…"

Mario raised his eyebrows. "Do you have something better?"

"Actually I do," Wishes answered, retreating to a closet and pulling out a tuxedo. "I bought this for some friend of mine, but it was too big…" he explained. "Maybe it will fit you."

"Thank you very much, Wishes," Mario said sincerely. "This means a lot."

"Don't mention it!" Wishes assured him. "I love helping people."

Mario was uncomfortably reminded of Mame. That horrible shrill scratchy laugh…

He didn't hear what Wishes said next. "I'm sorry?" he asked.

"I said I can tell Freewire to give it to you," the Star Child replied.

Just then, a deep-voiced call came from outside the house. Wishes perked up and flew outisde. "Hey, guys, come here!" he ordered.

The party followed him and saw him conversing just outside with another Star. Wishes heard them walking behind him and spun around. "This is Freewire, guys," he announced. "He's the boss-guy-person-guy."

Freewire said to Mario that it was nice to meet him and that he knew all about him saving the world and everything. "Wishes was explaining to me something about how you need my Cloud Fragment."

"Well, um-"

"Don't be embarrassed!" Freewire assured him. "I don't really _need_ it. So you can have it if you want."

Mario thanked Freewire, who suggested they get some rest for tomorrow. Mario looked at the sky and figured he was right-the sun had almost set in the sky. That meant it would rise here for the first time in a long time tomorrow. Everyone said their good-nights and departed.

In the short time that it took for them to get to the bedroom, Mario was already tired. It probably wouldn't take much energy to go to the festival, but they'd need it anyway.

For the first time in a while, Mario didn't have horrible dreams that night.

* * *

Mario was awakened by Wishes that morning. He looked over and found that it was 10:35. The festival would probably start soon.

He got out of bed and dressed himself in the tux Wishes had set out for him; it fit perfectly. No sooner had he dressed than Freewire burst into the house. "Good morning, everybody!" he shouted with a spark in his voice, as though he was excited himself to be announcing the coming of morning.

The rest of the party that hadn't awakened yet woke up at his call-Freewire's voice was a strong and confident one.

"Already?" Snow complained. "It's like I never went to sleep!"

"You didn't," Koopetto muttered. "You tossed and turned _all_ _over me_ last night."

"Oh, yeah, I did, didn't I?" Snow chuckled. "Sorry about that. Anyway…Freewire, when does the festival start?"

Freewire was busy talking to Wishes and had to ask her repeat her question. Mario asked it for her. She looked confusedly at him, as if wondering why he had asked her quesiton.

"Oh, the festival is on in…twenty minutes," Freewire answered, looking at the clock that now read 10:40. "So it might do us good to assemble at the center of town early. If we go too late, many of them will already be there, it will be very difficult to set up, everything will be inconvenient, all that jazz."

Mario shrugged. "We could go now."

"Oh, not now!" Wishes protested. "You haven't had breakfast!"

"Does breakfast include tea?" Goomessa asked.

"Well…" Wishes hung his head.

"I think we'll pass," Mario told him.

"You look very professional in your tuxedo, Mario," Freewire remarked. "I'm sure everyone will be just fine with you having the Cloud Fragment."

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't they?" Mario asked.

"Oh…" Freewire said hollowly. "I told them that we'd keep the Fragment to ourselves because it was worth so much and we were worried someone might sell it or something if we gave it away. So they're going to be surprised that I'm giving it to you all of a sudden…but you're a very strong-willed and likable person, Mario, so they should be just fine."

"Thank you very much, sir," Mario said to him. Freewire mentally picked up a glove from Wishes's coffee table and held it in the air. Mario shook it.

The group then left the house and proceeded toward the center of the town, where the ground was made of cobblestone. On a parapet in the middle, there was a large, poorly crafted statue with a bowl on the top. Over the bowl was a glass dome.

"That," Freewire told them, pointing to the bowl, "is your Fragment."

The shapes of the Fragments never failed to impress Mario.

"Now, I don't want to be bossy, but I should tell you how the festival is going to work," Wishes said to the party as the group stepped on the parapet. "See, what we do is we have a great big party until noon. Then once the sun has reached the middle of the sky, we-"

"Wait," Goomessa requested. "What do we do while-"

"I am talking!" Wishes squealed. Goomessa shut up immediately and shot a questioning look at Freewire. "He does that sometimes," the Star told her.

Wishes resumed speaking. "At noon, we're supposed to have this special ceremony to celebrate the coming of the sun. It's very exciting."

"I suppose after the ceremony will be the best time to present you with the Fragment," Freewire added.

It wasn't long before the other stars were coming out of their homes and assembling at the town square as well, and soon the entire center of town was a large group of Stars and Star Children. Some fifty of them were gathered there.

They all stared at Freewire, who was now mentally gripping a flag, in anticipation. A large bell tower far off in the distance rung eleven times, and Freewire lowered the flag. The party began.

Suddenly Wishes threw Mario off the ledge into the mass of partygoers. He tried to catch himself, but it couldn't be done. He was caught up in a whirl of stars so thick he couldn't tell which way was which anymore.

* * *

After an hour, Freewire called for attention. "Excuse me, everybody, but the party is over!" he shouted. Many groans sounded from the crowd, but Freewire silenced them all. "Now that it is noon, we are _supposed_ to have the Ceremony of the Sun, but this year, we're going to do something a little different. Mario, get up here."

Mario squeezed through the crowd and, with a last glare at Wishes, stepped in front of Freewire. "Freewire, I thought we _were_ going to have the ceremony and just fit the Fragment in somewhere," he whispered.

"Yes, but that bores me," Freewire answered. Then speaking to the crowd, he kept speaking. "I have an important announcement to make. I am going to give our Cloud Fragment to a good person who really needs it. This is Mario. He saves the world, and we need to give him the Fragment to allow him to do so."

The stars conversed, and eventually a collective agreement rose from them.

Freewire removed the glass dome from the Fragment and turned back to Mario. "In that case, Mario, I do now grant you-"

He never finished the sentence.

At that very moment, a house very near the center of town suddenly exploded. The crowd screamed and ran in all directions. Freewire tried to calm everyone down, but he couldn't be heard over the pandemonium of the fact that a house had just exploded.

Wishes decided to help. "HEY, PEOPLE! SHUT THE HOLY PALOOKEYS UP!"

They shut the palookeys up. But not another two seconds had passed before a house even closer to the crowd exploded as well. The crowd couldn't be calmed this time, even by Wishes.

Mario was trying to calm him_self _down so he could try to do something about the situation when he saw two figures over the horizon. They looked very much like small airships, and they were heading straight toward Sadiel at a frightening pace.

It wasn't very long before they reached the town. One of the pilots fired a stream of light toward Freewire, who ducked out of the way, leaving the statue behind him to burst into flames.

The ships very suddenly stopped and crashed to the ground. Mario ran toward them, his partners close behind him. Before he could reach them, a figure hopped out of each one. They wore orange masks and jumpsuits. With their heads lowered, they walked toward Mario. They pushed a few crowd members out of the way, and the rest of them jumped away to avoid being hit. Before long there was a clear path for the two pilots.

They raised their heads and Mario stepped back. They were young women. They looked like they were about the same age, but were by no means the same. The one on the left had red hair and blue eyes, and, while younger, looked much more mature than the other. The right one had brown hair. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she glared at Mario. The girls clenched their fists, and the jumpsuits they were wearing suddenly cracked and then fell away, revealing patterned dresses with the same pattern. The one on the left wore a white one, the one on the right a pink one.

"You're Mario?" The left one asked in a low serious voice. "I'm Violon."

"Kat," the one on the right announced in a girlish squeaky tone. "We're King Troy's daughters. And we're here to take your precious Cloud Fragment off your hands. Think of it as a favor."

So this was what Maddie meant.

* * *

**So? What do you think? TELL MEH PLEASE!**

**TELL MEH EVERTING!**

**Seriously, though, tell me what you thought.**

**See ya!**


	35. SchoolTime: Part III

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Nice to see you all again! Just remember I don't own Mario or anything…and let's get going!**

* * *

Kat stepped forward with an evil grin on her face. "So, Mario," she whispered. "We have a deal to make with you. If _you_ give _us_ all of your Cloud Fragments, and you let us take the one that bozo up there has-"

"Hey!" Freewire shouted.

"then we won't hurt you or your friends or any of these stars here."

"You're blackmailing us!" Mario shouted at her. She folded her arms.

Kat frowned. "I'd like to remind you that we are King Troy's _daughters_," she told him.

"And so?"

"And so, why does the fact that we're blackmailing you-"

"_You're_ blackmailing him," Voilon interrupted her, earning a glare from her sister. Turning back to Mario, Kat continued.

"So why does the fact that I'm blackmailing you come as a surprise?"

By now, Mario's partners, plus Wishes and Freewire, who was still holding the Fragment, had gathered behind him. "She's got a point, Mario," Goomessa conceded.

Kat agreed. "I mean, knowing Daddy, I think you'd know better-and don't change the subject!" she cut herself off, suddenly facing Mario again. "So what'll it be? The Cloud Fragments? Or everyone in this town?" She grinned wide, knowing she had the plumber cornered.

Mario was about to consider either protesting or giving in, when something came to his mind.

"Lady, you seem to forget that you are outnumbered about sixty to two. Or if we were talking about your brains, sixty to one-and-a-half. I think we could talk this over like regular people…you know, unless you like lots and lots and lots of pain." He figured if blackmail was how Kat worked, blackmail would make her give in.

Kat's grin grew longer, so that she was practically smiling hair to hair. "You're right…" she agreed. "I guess we'll just have to surrender, and-oh diversion!" she shouted suddenly, pushing Mario and the rest of the gang to the ground and grabbing Goomessa by the (ahem) neck. Pulling a gun seemingly from nowhere, she held it to the Goombette's head. Goomessa stared into it, horrified.

"Give us the Fragments or I'll blow her (**Careful Kat, no swearing!**) freaking head off!" Kat seethed. "_Now!_"

"Don't, Mario!" Goomessa screamed. "Get the Fragment and run!"

"No, I won't do that!" Mario cried.

"Don't be stupid, Mario!" Goomessa shouted.

Mario bit his lip and helped Freewire up. He told Freewire to give the Cloud Fragment to him. Once the star had done so, he walked up to Kat and presented the Fragment to her. Goomessa stared, mortified, at him. Kat took the bowl in the hand of the arm holding Goomessa and held it up. "So what about the others?" she asked, losing the crazed tone this time.

"What others?" Mario asked, trying to sound bewildered while he raised his arms and put his hands together.

"What are you talking about?" Kat demanded. "You know what I-"

"Oh diversion!" Mario shouted, twisting Kat's arms behind her head and knocking Goomessa, the gun, and the Cloud Fragment out of them. She squealed and writhed in pain, struggling to get out of Mario's death grip. Meanwhile Goomessa got up and ran toward Mario, forgetting about both the gun and the Fragment completely. But both Mario and his partner were interrupted in their goals when Violon suddenly shrieked. Mario took a few steps back, allowing Kat to get away to her sister's aid. When Mario raised his eyes, he had to lower them again immediately. (**Look away if you don't like blood!**) Violon was bleeding furiously from the chest and sprawled down on the ground.

When Mario had the courage to look back up, he saw Kat helping her sister up and asking her why she'd done…something. "Violon, why did you do that? I told you to get _me_, not you!"

Mario ran up to the girls in case they did anything else. Kat continued to speak to Violon. "You were supposed to shoot _me!_" she cried.

Mario's mouth hung open. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"Kat, go!" Violon cried. "Get it!"

"Not before I do!" Goomessa shouted, dashing back toward the Fragment.

Violon suddenly leaped up and, despite there being a bullet in her stomach, pushed past Mario and grabbed the Cloud Fragment before anyone could act. She then threw it weakly at Kat, who caught it with a confused gaze on her face.

Not even sure what was going on anymore, Mario reached for the Cloud Fragment in Kat's hands. Kat pulled out her gun again and conked him over the head with it. "Violon!" she cried as she dashed toward her ship, followed closely by her sister. With a visible effort, Mario got up, nursing the bump on his head, and attempted to apprehend the girls, but it was too late. They had had risen into the sky already, and before he could ask for help getting them down, the two had left, flying toward the mountain directly behind Sadiel. To make sure they weren't followed, Kat launched a final beam of light at the stage and set it on fire. A few stars shrieked and ran.

A layer of quiet fell over the now-crushed town of Sadiel. A few Stars grumbled and began to disperse. Other stayed right where they were, mesmerized by the collection of events that had taken place so quickly. No one really spoke, afraid that whatever they said might insult someone.

Mario stared at the spot where the girls had just been for a few long, horrible moments, and then let out a dry, wavy sigh and sank to the ground in despair. _How could this happen?_ He thought.

His plans were supposed to work. They had never not worked before. They had had the upper hand against the girls, and then suddenly they didn't…

He sat there for a long time. He wasn't really sure just how long. Eventually Freewire seemed to catch up with everything that had just happened, and ordered everybody to return to their homes. The Sun Festival was over.

Mario continued to sit, and for a few moments it was without interest that he heard his partners agree to go back to Wishes' house. But then he had a better idea.

"We go straight up the mountain," he told them, finally standing up. "Right now."

"Now?" Snow complained.

"Now," Mario answered angrily.

Floating up behind him, Wishes began to speak. "But Mister Mario, you-"

"_What is it now?_" Mario raged. Horrified at his explosion, he cried, "I am so sorry!"

"Don't worry about it," Wishes assured him. "I'm used to being shouted at."

Mario was confused. What did he mean by that? Nobody ever shouted at Wishes. Not that Mario knew, anyway.

He was still trying to ponder the statement when Goomessa bade him say what he had been about to say before Mario had interrupted him.

Wishes nodded and announced, "I know where you're going. I know what you have to do. You're going to get those girls like they got us."

Mario half-smiled. The Star Child had that right. If there was anyone who was going to get Kat and Violon it was going to be Mario and his partners. "Good job, you're right," he congratulated Wishes.

"Well, I hate to be bossy and demanding, but I just feel horrible about this. I mean, this is such a travesty, and there's something about it that's just making me feel a little bit guilty. See, I feel that since I'm someone who has a position of authority, I could have helped prevent everything that happened here. But since I didn't, I think it's partly my fault. So I feel that the only way I could stop feeling so guilty would be if I was one of the people who stopped-"

"Wishes. Talking. Point. Get to it."

"I want to come with you," Wishes squeaked.

Mario stared at him, making no effort to hide the surprise written on his face. Wishes? On this adventure with them? The idea was…odd. Not laughable, not so much idiotic, but odd. Wishes was delicate, opinionated, and a bit loopy all rolled up into one, and Mario wasn't sure…

Goomessa stepped forward and answered, "I think it would be lovely-"

"Goomessa?" Snow cut her off. "This is Mario's question. He doesn't need you answering for him."

Mario looked back at Wishes and smiled. "I think we'd be glad to have you on our team. Welcome to the party, Wishes."

Wishes jumped for joy and breathlessly thanked Mario. "I'll have to ask Freewire if it's okay, but I'm sure he'll be fine. Should we get started up the mountain right after I ask him then?"

Mario frowned. "You know…we could, but I think it could do us well to get a bit more rest. I mean with what just happened, we might all need some time to get it off our shoulders before we start after the girls."

"That was a sudden change of heart," Fluzz remarked as the newly extended party walked off toward Wishes' house again.

* * *

The next time Mario woke up, it was four in the afternoon. He heaved a sigh to get rid of whatever tension he still might have had and put his hands behind his head. When he had told the others that they were to sleep to get the recent events off their shoulders, he had been telling them only part of the whole thing. He also had another idea in mind.

If they waited long enough to pursue Kat and Violon, then when they actually came, it would be as a surprise. The girls would expect them to come right as soon as they could. But when they didn't show up quickly, the girls would assume they'd given up, so that when the party _did_ arrive, they would be caught off guard.

It was a perfect plan. Violon would be too busy catering to Kat's every whim as well as fixing up her chest to figure it out, and Kat herself seemed pretty dim. The girls would never see through the plan.

His appraisal of his plan was interrupted when Goomessa walked up beside him. "Hey, Mario, I've been waking the others up. They're just getting ready, because I think we should get going," she told him.

Mario continued to stare at the ceiling, as though he hadn't heard what she'd said. Presently, he replied, "That could be a good idea."

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Fluzz grumbled as he hopped lazily over to the two talking.

"Hey! What was that for?" Goomessa cried.

"I'm tired," Fluzz answered blandly.

"And?"

"What other reason should I need?" Fluzz asked gruffly.

"Stop it, guys," Mario ordered. "We should be going by now."

"I have something that might help," Snow broke in. "I just remembered that Daddy used to own a water mill in the mountain Kat and Violon went off to."

"What _doesn't_ your father own?" Goomessa asked.

Snow stood there with her mouth hung open, unable to answer the question. After a moment she went on. "Anyway, I have a feeling Kat and Violon set up some sort of secret hideout in Sadiel's Mill that they think we won't be able to find. Cause you know, not a lot of people know about the mill. It's a silver mine, so Daddy made sure nobody found out about it."

"Is _that_ why he's so rich?" Wishes asked, causing Snow to jump three feet in the air. She could swear he had appeared out of nowhere. "One reason," she answered once she had calmed down slightly.

"Thanks for your suggestion, Snow," Mario said to her. "That may give a lead. We should get going before Violon gets better and the girls decide to go to Troy with their Cloud Fragment."

"Well, if they do, can't we just go to Troy's castle and get it back?" Wishes asked, confused.

Mario sighed. He didn't want to tell Wishes all about Maddie and Troy's plan and everything that had happened so far. The fact that Wishes knew anything at all about the Cloud Fragments had made him hopeful that he wouldn't have to explain anything else.

Eventually, goodness won over laziness and Mario recounted the story of Plathora, Troy, everything. Wishes grinned throughout the tale.

"That's pretty cool," he remarked once Mario was finished. "Although Troy sounds really mean. I don't understand why you would try to talk rationally with those girls if they're his daughters."

Mario felt there was something different about Kat and Violon compared to other bosses the party had fought so far. The girls were actually human-physically, anyway-so Mario had felt it was possible to reason with them-no matter how rude he had been. But it was obvious now that Kat and Violon were no more human than a hand in a pot.

It was confusing to think about, so Mario decided not to anymore, and instead told everyone that they were to leave in the next five minutes. Everyone quickly packed the supplies they had bought in Paratonis and headed out.

It was only as they were leaving the very outskirts of Sadiel that Mario actually began to consider the practicality of his plan. If it didn't work, and Kat and Violon were still expecting them, who knew how prepared they could be?

_No, you're being silly,_ Mario argued with himself. _Of course it'll work._

He decided to end the argument right there, but as they finally left Sadiel, something kept nagging at him that it might fail.

* * *

**And I think that's it for today. What did you think? Did you like it? Yes? No?**

**Tell me!**

…**please?**

**I'd especially like you to tell me what you thought of "the girls". How you reacted to what they did.**

**And other things too.**

**See ya!**


	36. SchoolTime: Part IV

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here I am with another installment of Paper Mario: Legend of the Clouds! And here you are reading it. Yay! I don't own Mario because I still live in an apartment building. And now with that completely pointless revelation out of the way, let's get going again!**

* * *

The party slowly made the climb up the mountain. Wishes had suddenly decided as they were beginning to go up the peak that it was a good idea for the party to dress warmly because it might be cold. So he had torn his house apart and eventually found a few coats, hats, and other winter clothing. After that they had started back up the peak, which they quickly learned was officially named Mount Incense. This was because Wishes missed no opportunity to tell the rest of the party what everything was. He even asserted at one point that because he lived right next to the mountain, he knew everything about it. Goomessa eventually began to insult his intelligence by telling him "she knew that" every time he mentioned something. This frustrated Wishes immensely, so Mario quickly pulled the Goombette aside. "Why are you doing that?" he asked.

"Doing what?" she asked smugly.

"Making Wishes feel stupid," Mario answered, irritated.

"Well, he's _annoying,_" Goomessa replied. "When you let him come with us, I didn't know his real name was Geoffrey II."

"Even if he _is_ annoying," Mario insisted, "we should give him a chance. He'll simmer down, I'm sure. You may not believe it, but _you_ were a bit irritating sometimes when I first met you."

Goomessa hung her mouth open. "That's really mean, you know."

"And Koopetto was a bit annoying, too," Mario continued, ignoring her. "Fluzz was a bit annoying…and Snow, well, she was _remarkably-_"

"Okay, does this story have a point?" Goomessa asked. "And if it does, could you possibly get to it?"

"I just want you guys to give Wishes a chance. All of you. Hopefully he'll mellow out. And if he doesn't, that's no reason to make him feel like an idiot," Mario explained. Please."

After that the party continued to escalate up the snowy peak. Snow that arrived very early on and enemies that had made their homes on the mountain alike hindered them. Most of the enemies Mario knew; they were standard fare such as Piranha Plants, Ruff Puffs, and even a few that Mario normally didn't see in the snow, such as Koopas and Goombas. Mario assumed they had hardened themselves to the snow.

But at one point the party met up with a new creature Mario hadn't seen before. It was accompanied by two Ice Puffs. It looked mostly spherical, but the snow was falling too hard to be sure. It was a deep shade of blue and it seemed to glow as well.

"Goomessa, what's that?" Mario asked.

Goomessa pulled out her Tattle Log and skimmed through it. After a few seconds she looked back up and answered. "That's an Snow Bogey. Remember the Forest Bogey you and I met in the forest to Gillisville that one time?"

Mario nodded, vividly recalling the hiss the Forest Bogey had uttered when Mario had hit it with his hammer the first time. It had been embarrassing when Mario had screamed in response, but luckily Goomessa didn't mention that.

"Well, this is its snowy friend. It has a max HP of 12, an attack of 3, and a defense of 1. It can attack by lobbing snowballs and chunks of ice at things that threaten it. But that doesn't sound too-"

She was interrupted by a snowball in her face, knocking her to the ground.

"Bad," she finished, standing up and glaring at the Bogey. "Oh, you guys are gonna get it."

The party defeated the Puffs with ease, but the Snow Bogey proved to be a challenge. After some time, it finally croaked, but the party was tired. Mario hoped the mountain would not be much larger. At least he wanted to get up the rest of it rather soon.

His wish was quickly proved unable to come true when he saw something in the blizzard up ahead. Squinting, he saw two blurry figures standing in the snow. Telling his partners to follow, he ran as fast as he could up the slope toward the figures.

He was shocked to discover after running for a few moments that they were Kat and Violon. Why were they here?

"We knew you'd come," Kat told them with a grin on her face.

"Ahem, _I_ knew you'd come," Violon corrected her.

"Really, Violon? Really?" Kat demanded.

"And now there's spit in my ear," Violon remarked loudly. Kat slapped her sister across the face.

"_Anyway,_" Kay continued, "we knew you'd wait to come. You thought you could catch us off guard."

Mario stared, horrified, at the girls. How could they possibly see through the plan? It was a perfect plan, and they knew all about it!

"But we would like to tell you-"

"That you're still badly outnumbered?" Goomessa cut her off.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Kat cried. "Stop saying that, I hate it! Anyway, you couldn't fool us," she continued with her original sentence. "You thought you were so smart…but you know, when you get right down to it, you guys are like…oh, I don't know…Oh! You're a bunch of flies. A bunch of flies, that's what you are."

She then cackled for a few seconds.

"I realize we never…properly introduced ourselves back at Sadiel," Violon remarked, rubbing one hand over the red mark where her sister had slapped her.

"I'm Kat, Queen of Life, a.k.a., the cute one," Kat said autocratically, snapping her fingers on the last phrase.

"And I'm Violon, Queen of Time, a.k.a., the smart one," Violon finished, bowing with a flourish to some invisible crowd.

"Okay, you two are officially insane!" Koopetto yelled.

"Are we?" Kat asked with a sly smile, folding her arms. "Or are we just stupid?"

She suddenly ran at Mario, extending her arms, which now somehow held a katana each. Mario stared incredulously at her before suddenly figuring she meant to actually hit him with the swords. He ducked out of the way just before being impaled in the chest.

Kat turned around and laughed. The laugh sounded very fake, but it was clear that Kat was honestly amused at something. Turning around, Mario saw that Violon was still wearing the fancy-free grimace that only she could wear and that was so characteristic of her.

"Goomessa, does that new book have anything on them?" Mario asked, standing up and running toward Kat. Koopetto and Fluzz joined him.

"Wait just a minute," Goomessa replied, already searching through the book. Snow and Wishes ran toward Violon, who looked almost kindly at them.

"They _are_ stupid," Mario muttered under his breath, pulling out his hammer.

"Oh, here they are," Goomessa said. "'Kat and Violon. They're the daughters of the self-proclaimed King of clouds, Troy. Consequently, they have been given the titles of the Queens of Life and Time. While Kat is a martial artist, Violon can use-'"

She was interrupted when Violon raised her hands and shot a ball of fire from each one, scoring Wishes across the face.

"'Magic.'"

Mario brought his hammer crashing down on Kat, whom, busy fighting Koopetto, didn't expect the blow and howled in agony. Turning on him, she deftly sliced through the air, chipping most of the visor of his hat as he jumped back.

"It says here their full statistics are unknown, but that it is advised to…run away if you ever see them," Goomessa continued.

"I'm almost starting to think that's a good idea," Koopetto remarked after being cut clear across the jaw.

"No guys, we have to get them," Mario insisted, wailing away with his hammer. Kat was actually starting to look worried.

He turned briefly to see how his other partners were doing with the other brat. Violon looked like she was seriously being given a run for her money. Goomessa stuffed the Tattle Log in her pocket and joined Snow and Wishes, diving at Violon as she struggled to remove Wishes from her shoulders.

"Kat, these guys are too-" the younger sister's cry was muffled by Goomessa's forehead making contact with her face. She fell over backwards, clutching her nose.

Mario turned back around to see Kat limping back towards him, swords bared. He struck her with his hammer again, ordering his partners next to him to go for Violon; she seemed more persistent.

It was only then that Mario thought once more about his revelation that the girls were not human. Was he right, he wondered? Seeing Kat standing there weakly, staring at Mario with a glaze in her eyes, he suddenly felt he might be wrong.

"Kat, you're wrong, just admit it," Mario ordered.

"I know I'm wrong," Kat agreed, "but Daddy said we can't give up to you guys or he'll be really mad at us."

Mario sighed. "Please, Kat, this is stupid."

"…I know."

The plumber put out his hand.

An evil grin spread over Kat's face. Mario's eyes widened.

He had been right.

Kat gripped Mario arm in hers and spun him around so that his head was against her neck, clutching his forehead with one hand and his side with the other.

"Kat, I hate you!" he screamed.

"You know what _I_ hate?" Kat asked. "Is when you forget what you were going to say, but then you remember, and then you realize what you were going to say is no longer relevant to the conversation. You know what I mean?"

She whipped around to look at her sister, and Mario was horrified to discover that all of his partners were trapped in translucent black energy fields.

"What happened?" Mario choked.

"Violon said that if we let her up, she'd convince Kat to stop doing this!" Goomessa cried.

"_And what could possibly possess you to believe her?_" Mario shouted. Kat hurled him to the ground. Mario rolled over to look at her, trying to get air back in his lungs so he could speak.

Before he could talk to her, she pulled a blue box out of a pocket in her dress. It was only then that Mario wondered how they could wear such light clothing in the blizzard.

But that was beside the point. Mario stood up and stepped toward Kat to see what the box was. But Kat suddenly screamed at him.

"You take one more step closer, and this baby goes off!" she shouted. "And then you'll _never_ get to the mill!"

"That box is connected to the entrance to Sadiel's Mill," Violon explained giddily. "If she pushes the lid down, the whole entrance to the mill will explode and crumble. You'll never get in." She then clasped her fingers together in excitement and began to giggle in a low tone.

"Kat, you're crazy!" Mario shouted. Kat simply nodded with the same grin one her face.

"Don't look at me like that!" Mario screamed. "I hate you!"

"Hate makes you ugly…" Kat answered. "Oh, wait…I guess it's too late."

"SHUT UP!" Mario ran towards her. With a sudden change in smile that almost made her look deep and wise, Kat pushed down the lid on the blue box.

Mario skidded to a stop. Nothing had changed. "Nothing happened," he mused. "Your box was defective."

Suddenly, a blast of cold air filled with dust rushed past Mario. The blizzard stopped.

"You think so? Don't worry, it'll be back soon," Kat assured the others, dropping the box into the snow.

"You're crazy!" Mario said again.

"If you're ugly and you know it, clap your hands," Kat sang, clapping her hands afterwards. After a moment, she shouted, "I said _clap!_" She then ran at Mario and shoved him to the ground.

"You're going to pay for that using box, whatever is was," Mario told her threateningly, putting his hands on the ground and starting to push himself up.

Instead of answering, Kat began to sing again: _Buzz buzz buzz, zoom zoom zoom-_

Mario pushed himself into a kneeling position.

_And a couple of tra-la-la's-_

The plumber stood up.

_That's how we pass the day away-_

Mario began to run toward Kat again. She finished her song.

_In the meth-head land of Oz!_

She then swiftly snapped her fingers, and as the blizzard picked up again, Mario had to shield his eyes. As he looked back up, he discovered Kat had vanished. Whipping around, he saw Violon was gone too.

_Now I can't even tell if they're stupid, insane, or just cleverly stupid and insane,_ Mario thought.

* * *

**And there we are. That's all for today, folks! Tell me what you thought, please?**

**About everything?**

**Remember that Marile Studios Incorporated does not condone the use of methyl or any other harmful drugs. Use your brains, kids, or whatever is left of them.**

**See ya!**


	37. SchoolTime: Part V

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Here we are. Um…yeah. Since I don't really fell like talking today, I guess we'll just go. Remember I don't own anything except for the things I own.**

* * *

With a furious resolve, Mario had begun to lead his partners back up the mountain. He made a vow to himself to make sure that when he got his hands on those brats, it wasn't gonna be pretty. However horribly those jerks died, it wouldn't be horrible enough.

The party got into a few more small fights with other enemies, but they were small potatoes compared to Kat and Violon. All the while as the party silently made the rest of the trek upwards, Mario thought about how they were going to get into the mill if the entrance really was blocked off. It would be difficult if it was true…

But then again, the girls were practically mental, and that blue box couldn't possibly be able to cause a ridge of perfectly stable rocks to just collapse. It didn't feel like physics would allow that to happen.

But then again, there had been many other times when events that had happened to Mario had defied the Laws of Physics, and the Laws of Time, and the Laws of Pretty Much Every Other Conceivable Thing in the World…

But then again, if the entrance really _had_ crumbled, the girls would have no way in. They wouldn't be able to go back to the mill if they had destroyed the way in.

But then again, there had been that sudden gush of wind. Possibly it had been from an explosion. And Kat had sounded like she knew it was going to happen. It would come back soon, she had said.

But then again-wait, he had thought that four times already. Was he arguing with himself? Why was he arguing with himself?! It wasn't healthy to argue with yourself, they said. It meant you were going crazy. Just like the sisters.

He decided he should focus on other things, more important things. He thought about Peach. He wondered if she was okay; how she was doing locked up in Troy's castle; if she was even locked up; and what Troy even wanted with her.

It was all so much to think about…

He decided it wasn't good to think about such stressful things. He should actually be thinking about their real mission-getting up Mount Incense. Wishes had since quit telling the rest of the party things about the mountain, and the party was mostly quiet, with the occasional exchange of low words. Mario felt they didn't want to be heard by him, as angry as he was.

Now that he wasn't as angry about Kat and Violon, he realized that wasn't fair to them. He turned around suddenly with a small smile. "Okay, guys, I think we should figure out what to do."

"What do you mean?" Goomessa asked confusedly.

"I mean we should try to think of a way to get in the mill if the entrance really is blocked off. Does anybody know a different way in? Snow, you're dad owns the mill, do you know?" Mario attempted to look earnest and found that it was getting easier as he spoke.

Snow looked surprised. "Well…I'm not really sure. Possibly…I can't say." She thought for a moment. "He might have maybe mentioned something about another way in. He said that if someone should find out about the mill who wasn't supposed to, he could…close down the…mill and, um, use the other entrance…" she finished, sounding embarrassed. "Wow, I should have really thought of that before…"

"Don't worry, Snow," Mario assured her. "We know now, and now we just have to look for that secret entrance. Although, I'd figure a secret entrance will be hard to find. Any chance you know where it is?" he asked hopefully.

"A rather good one, actually," Snow answered. "If anywhere, I can swear I remember Daddy saying it was at the very top of the mountain. It's there because he knows no one would ever be stupid enough to-oh, wait. _We're_ stupid enough."

"Snow, I think you should stop talking," Goomessa whispered. Snow nodded.

"Well, that gives us a lead," Mario said determinedly. "Now we just have to get to the top of this place. That shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

* * *

"You know those times when you say something will happen, but then since you said it would, of course it decides not to?" Mario asked his friends. "What's the word for that again? I forgot."

"It's called a jinx," Koopetto answered, sounding out of breath.

"I think that's what happened to us," Mario remarked.

The mountain had since become ridiculously steep and the snow had been falling even more and harder, so that the party had to bend down and hold on to the ground with their hands to avoid falling. They weren't climbing, per se, but they might as well have been.

On the bright side (bright enough, anyway), they had found another Growth Coin along the way in a small soaked paper bag. Mario gave it to Fluzz, who took it gleefully. He wondered for a moment why it was in the snow, but then assumed someone had dropped it.

Possibly Perry Johnson.

"I wish we could just get to the top of this stupid mountain," Fluzz said gruffly a while later. "It's like every time it looks like we're almost there, they raise the top so that we're not even close anymore."

"Weird, I had the same feeling," Snow muttered.

"Hey, guys, it could be worse," Goomessa insisted.

"How?" the rest of Mario's partners asked her at the same time.

"…I have no idea," Goomessa answered in the same eager tone. Koopetto snorted.

"Come on, guys, if we fight, it'll take forever to get to the top," Mario told them. "And we need to get up there as quick as we can."

"I wonder why they're still up there, anyway," Wishes mused. "Violon was so obviously feeling better, but they still went to the mountains."

"Yeah, he's got a point," Goomessa agreed. "Oh no…what if they _did_ go back to Troy's castle? What'll we do then?"

"You know, with Kat and Violon, it's hard to predict what they're going to do next," Mario remarked, "but something tells me they stayed in the mill. It's a pride thing. They're not going to leave unless they beat us or we beat them. I just know it."

"If you're wrong, permission to throw you off the mountain?" Koopetto asked, sounding annoyed.

"Uh…permission granted," Mario replied uncertainly as the group continued up the mountain.

* * *

It was probably taking hours for the party to actually scale the peak. But they were climbing the direction that the sun was moving, so the sun never seemed to move in the sky. It was difficult to tell just how long it was really taking. By Mario's estimate, it could take hours or days to get to the top; this too was impossible to tell, as the falling snow obscured the actual tip of the mountain.

"So…" Goomessa murmured, hopping over a large fort-like snowbank.

"So…what?" Snow grumbled.

"I don't know, okay?" Goomessa replied, agitated. "I don't have cable!"

Snow put one hand flat in the air in confusion.

"I think the snow is making us loopy," Wishes commented. "And maybe the bad air too."

"You could be right," Mario agreed. "Let's just get in the mill, get out, and leave this whole freak-barn."

"Hey, say what you want about the mountain, but Sadiel is _not_ a freak-barn, and if you stayed there longer, you wouldn't say that," Wishes protested.

"Whatever you say."

* * *

As luck herself would have had it, the remaining distance to the peak of Mount Incense was quite short. But that didn't stop it from being night be the time the party finally reached it. The entrance was, contrary to Mario's expectations, a simple hole in the ground-he had personally been waiting for a large, conspicuous, regal-looking opening that invited in everyone who might approach.

In hindsight, he realized that was incredibly stupid.

Wishes had been absolutely right; everyone was starting to feel a bit light-headed by the time they reached the top. Mario hoped that when they entered into the mill, they would feel at least a little better about themselves.

Wishes insisted he go first, because he obviously knew everything about Sadiel's Mill. Everyone else agreed that Snow should go first because she was the daughter of the mill's founder and must know at least _something_ about the mill as opposed to Wishes pretending he knew everything. Ultimately, Wishes won out and lightly hopped inside the hole, followed one by one by the rest of the party. Mario heard no one gasping or screaming, so it must not have been a long fall.

Before jumping in with them, Mario took a deep breath. This was going to be a bumpy ride.

* * *

Mario quickly proved himself wrong. It was a long fall. He didn't hear his partners cry out because the cave seemed to be very echo-proof. Needless to say, falling on top of five different people wasn't fun, albeit cushioning.

"I think I broke a heel," Snow whined.

"_I_ think a broke a hip," Koopetto complained from under her.

"Well, at least we can all break a leg," Fluzz remarked, garnering the stares of everyone around him.

"It's not as cold in here as outside," Goomessa commented. "In fact, these coats and hats and things are really warm."

So the party removed their surplus of clothes, so that they were wearing only what they had had on before they left. Mario reflected that some of his partners had been on this journey so long that they weren't looking too good. He decided they might have a day for just rest.

But that might be foolish, and it would take too long to get ready to go again. Mario shoved the idea to the back of his head for safekeeping-he would think about it later.

The inside of Sadiel's Mill was dark and damp. And it smelled bad. Mario gagged at the odor the minute he was in (and able to stand, of course).

He decided to breathe through his mouth instead, but it wasn't much better. He could almost taste the smell.

But there were more important things at hand than the carelessness with which Kat and Violon had chosen their hideout. The party had to find them as soon as possible before they decided to swallow their pride and go to Troy without having defeated or lost to them.

So where were they supposed to go, anyway?

Mario decided they should just go forward for now. If something turned up, then they'd figure something better out.

So go forward they did. The mill was very boring in layout-nothing really seemed to change. But then, it was rather difficult to tell what was going on because the place was so dark. Mario could vaguely make out the walls, but he didn't know if there was something he was missing. Well, he'd find out soon enough.

Probably.

Eventually the group came upon a dead end. Mario put his hands out to feel the wall to see if there was anything special about it. It wasn't any different from the other rock walls they had been passing.

Wishes stepped forward first and eyed the wall suspiciously. "It's not real," he whispered.

"How would you know it's not real?" Mario asked bewilderedly.

"Stars have heightened optical, auditory, olfactory, and gustatory glands," Wishes replied, not taking his eyes off the wall.

The "What?" from the others was virtually collective.

"It means we can see, hear, smell, and taste things really well," Wishes conceded. "I can see past the wall in to the next room."

"What's in there?" Goomessa asked.

"It's not pretty. You guys can't see it yourself unless you walk through the wall. But how would you do that?" the Star Child thought aloud.

"Well, if we can see and feel it," Goomessa began.

"But it's not really there," Koopetto continued.

Fluzz jumped up and down. After a few moments of this, he stopped and jumped at the wall. It took about a full minute before the entire wall was gone, and after that Mario and his partners were able to get a look at what Wishes had described as "not pretty".

He wasn't kidding. The party was staring at a large brown blob of something Mario couldn't begin to describe. He wasn't even sure what it was, but it had chunks of something white all over it. It had what might have been a face with a red smiling mouth and big white eyes. It was turned away from them. Mario recoiled at the sight, but then semi-confidently stepped forward again. "I think we can get past this guy if we're quiet," he told the others.

"WHO IS IN MY LAIR?" the blob shrieked in a voice that sounded like the owner was eating something sticky.

"Uh-oh," Koopetto said softly.

The blob turned around and eyed the party. "What are you doing in my mill?" it asked in the same mushy voice, but this time with a much lower volume. "This mill belongs to _me._"

"Actually, it belongs to Daddy," Snow corrected him.

"Don't sass me!" the blob shouted. "I am Chocolate Blobbeh, and I do not deserve to be sassed!"

"I saw the video for Spice and thought I'd seen everything," Goomessa remarked.

* * *

**There we go! Of course, the dungeon isn't finished, but I thought that was a good place to stop.**

**Obviously, I don't own Spice by Len Kagamine, and I haven't even seen the video, but Robbie told me it's "not appropriate", so I assume it's a good thing to put in the story. Yeah.**

**I also don't own the name chocolate Blobbeh. That's actually one of Robbie's friends on DeviantArt. So credit for that name goes to her.**

**Anyway, tell me what you thought, and I'll see you guys next time on Paper Mario: the Legend of the Clouds!**

**And the crowd goes wild.**

**See ya!**


	38. SchoolTime: Part VI

**Hi this is Frederic Marile! Welcome to another installment of Paper Mario: the Legend of the Clouds! WooHoo! Yay!**

**Now, in this part, we have two enemies that are named for other things. As I explained in the end of the last part, Chocolate Blobbeh is named after a person on DeviantArt who's a really good artist and who's one of my sister's friends. Yeah. And the Choco-Blargs that will also be introduced are actually an idea courtesy of Master of Randomness. He is awesome. Just saying.**

**So yeah, credit for the names of both enemies does not go to me.**

**Remember I do not own Mario and that stuff, and let's get going!**

Mario blinked a few times and took out his hammer. For some reason, it was suddenly taking him a long time to think. He slowly reflected that a giant chocolate blob was definitely something you didn't see every day. But if they had to fight this guy to get past, then that's what they would do.

He ran at the blob-what had it said its name was again?-and raised his hammer to swing at it. He was duly aware that his partners were following him. Goomessa opened her book and quickly flipped to the C's. "Oh, here he is," she announced. "Chocolate Blobbeh. He's a giant blob who's made his home in Sadiel's Mill, and who's…made entirely of candy. Okay, that's just a little creepy, don't you think?

"His max HP is 25, his attack is 5, and his defense is 3. It says here that he can attack you with licorice swords. And he also apparently has an almond gun. Huh. Why do I suddenly feel awfully diabetic?"

After her monologue, Goomessa joined the others in fighting Blobbeh. But even at six to one, the party was in a bad way. Blobbeh was an oddly skilled fighter for being trapped in a silver mill. The almond gun Goomessa had mentioned was a strong one, able to shoot ten very large almond nuts at a time. This was often enough to knock two party members into the wall.

Eventually Mario decided he had had enough of giant almonds flying at his face. "Go for the gun," he told Koopetto and Fluzz. "Get rid of it."

He then figured now was as good a time as any to figure out a strategy. "Snow, melt this thing," he requested. "Goomessa, when he's melted, go for his, um, head. Wishes, you…Wishes, what can you do?"

"I'll show you what I can do!" Wishes answered eagerly, flying towards Blobbeh. He then suddenly began to shine.

"What are you doing?" Mario called.

"Just wait," Wishes replied. After a few seconds, the glow became very bright, and a circle began to form around Wishes, growing bigger and brighter. Eventually it stopped, and Wishes flew, with the field still in place around him, straight into Blobbeh, who cried out in pain and took a…slosh back, for it could never really be described as stepping.

Meanwhile, Koopetto and Fluzz saw this a perfect chance to get the gun out of the blob's "hands". A few shell shots and vacuums released the weapon, which promptly fell apart. It was, after all, made of cold hardened jelly.

After the display was over, Snow rushed up to Blobbeh and began to hum, both scaring and confusing it. When the ring had appeared around her, she took a chunk of fire and threw it at him. What happened was not at all what Mario had expected. Instead of melting, Blobbeh multiplied. Five much smaller versions of the blob jumped out of it. Utterly confused, Mario told Snow to try to burn it again. Snow threw another two chunks of fire at Blobbeh, but it again sprouted several mini-blobs. So now there was a Blobbeh and fifteen small Blobbehs. Mario also noticed the small ones moved faster.

"Well, this isn't good," he remarked.

"Hey, I saw those in my log!" Goomessa suddenly shouted. "They're called Choco-Blargs. They have an HP of 2, but they can ram themselves into you. The book says to ignore them though, and just focus on Blobbeh. I'm not sure if that's a good idea, though. But the book-"

"I don't care what the book says," Mario said after being attacked by four Blargs and fighting them off with effort. "Koopetto, Snow, Wishes, and I will keep attacking Blobbeh. Goomessa, Fluzz, you get to work on the Blargs."

Goomessa and Fluzz nodded and attacked the mini-blobs, but even they were tough to control. While the party was still alive, they weren't doing too well right now, and Blobbeh looked like he could still take a beating. Mario thought for a while, longer than he would have liked, and then finally remembered that they had a quick fix for this. Taking out the hat Cloud Fragment from Caslio, he held it high in the air. It began to sparkle, but then suddenly stopped, going completely black in color. Mario figured he was out of star power. He realized he had never thought to ask how to use the Refund power, so he would just have to guess.

The very first thing he thought of-he was never really sure afterwards why-was to put the hat on his head.

It worked. A flash of light emanated from the hat and Mario suddenly felt like he had energy all around his body. Holding the hat in the air again, he was happy to find that it worked this time. The gray light he recognized from the battle with Octobust swirled around everyone, and they suddenly perked up. Chocolate Blobbeh looked like it knew it was in trouble.

Mario and his partners ran at the blob and gave Blobbeh and the Blargs everything they had, so much so that Mario was finding it difficult to see what was going on. It was all a mass of figures, chocolate, and licorice. Eventually Blobbeh gave one final desperate cry and melted to the ground.

"Oh, so when I hit him with fire, he splits, and when he kill him, _then_ he melts?" Snow demanded to no one in particular. "So unfair."

The others laughed, all earning a glare that would have burned them all to ashes if looks could really kill, and the party set off to explore the rest of the mill. However, Mario stood still for a few moments to clear his head, because he was still dizzy from the fight. But his head wouldn't clear.

"Mario, are you all right?" Goomessa asked, hopping back to Mario's side while the others walked on. "You look kinda green."

"I'm fine," Mario said groggily. "I think." He reached into his pockets and pulled out a Tasty Tonic, drinking it afterwards. He could now see clearly. "I guess there was something in that chocolate," he decided.

"Then why are we okay?" Goomessa asked.

"Because I'm the only one who actually touched Blobbeh, I guess," Mario replied.

"That's weird," Goomessa conceded, "but I guess being here for so long, it would make sense for Blobbeh to get poisoned and stuff."

The party quickly discovered after continuing to explore the mill that even more Choco-Blargs inhabited the place. Apparently there had been fires in this mill before. The party, now with more energy, picked off the Blargs with relative ease, but they were still annoying.

After walking for what seemed like hours, the gang suddenly came upon a fork in the road. Mario looked down both roads cautiously, but couldn't see farther than three feet in either direction.

He turned to his partners and said, "We'll go down one path together. If it's the wrong one, well, then, we're dead."

"What a positive attitude," Snow remarked sarcastically. Mario bit back a reply.

But the party went on down the left path, regardless of their fears. They walked for a long time before seeing a light appear a ways ahead. Mario told his partners to wait where they were and continued down the path slowly, cautious of anything that might come from up the road.

He used this time while his partners were not with him to reflect on some their adventure so far. It had been a relatively easy journey, but with many hard spots. Mario was definitely glad to have so many friends with him. He didn't know what he would have done without them. It would be much harder, that was for sure. He probably wouldn't stand half a slim chance against Troy. What was with that freak, anyway? It was a lot to think about, but he still felt like he should be thinking about it. It was only then that he remembered to be focused on what was ahead of him.

But nothing appeared. Mario continued to walk slowly, but he did begin to pick up his pace. Whatever room was at the end of the tunnel was getting brighter. He guessed there must be a light in the room.

When he finally reached the end, he discovered there were two chests inside. One was large and golden. The other was small and blue. Wondering what could be inside both, but not desiring to open it without his partners lest they be something bad, he called loudly over to the middle of the tunnel. His partners arrived in the room shortly.

Mario opened the large chest and looked inside. All that was in there was a pair of green shoes. In sudden realization, Mario knew these must be Super Boots. These were more powerful than the ones he had on now (and not that he cared, but they also looked better). He then opened the small chest, although he needed help from his partners, because for some reason, this one didn't open easily. Inside was the unmistakable shining round gold of another Growth Coin. Mario was overjoyed; now all of his partners were refitted with new attacks, although he hadn't seen all of them yet.

Unfortunately, there was no other way to go now. Mario wondered for a moment if the other path was the one that led to Kat and Violon, so he told his partners they would go the other way now.

It was a few minutes before they reached the fork again. They faced the right road and walked quickly down it. After another minute or two they came upon another well-lit room, but there was nothing here. Even though it looked bare, however, Mario wondered if there might just be a different path of some sort here.

"Hey, Wishes," Mario began, "do you know if there's any kind of hidden thing here?" Wishes turned toward him and bit his lip.

"I could try to find out," he replied, taking a deep breath and looking all over the place. While he was examining the floor, he chuckled.

"This part of the floor isn't as stable as the rest," he explained. "I think if we had something strong enough, we could break it."

"Perfect," Mario remarked. "I can put my boots to use right now."

Donning the Super Boots and placing his other shoes in the chest, he stomped on the ground a few times where Wishes had indicated. The floor gave away, revealing a large drop to the lower floor.

"Hopefully we don't get hurt going down there," Goomessa said quietly.

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Mario told her, jumping down the hold himself. He did have to reorient himself when he hit the floor below, but he wasn't injured. "It's fine," he called up. His partners followed him down.

Mario then took a look at their new surroundings. They were inside a room much like the others they had been in, but the walls were very smooth. They were still black, but Mario could have sworn they were glass. Walking instinctively to one of the walls and feeling it, he discovered they actually were glass. "We must not be far from Kat and Violon," he guessed.

"How do you figure that?" Koopetto asked.

"Because they're the type who's into that whole 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' thing," Mario replied. "Either they designed the glass walls, or they chose their hiding place near here. But that's just me."

"You know, that _does_ make sense," Goomessa thought aloud.

"You know what's weird?" Koopetto asked with a hint of tiredness in his voice. "I mean, we've fought off three freaks of nature already, and they were definitely strange and creepy. But now that we're going to have to fight actual people, it kind of weirds me out, you know what I mean?"

"I get it," Mario agreed, "but I honestly don't like to think of them as people. _People_ would have something against being the daughters of that…thing called Troy."

"You _really_ hate him, don't you?" Goomessa asked nervously.

"Very much so, yes."

"Now, is that any way to talk about our daddy in front of us?" a familiar voice called. Mario recoiled in horror, spinning around toward the source of the voice. The room suddenly lit up, and Mario saw the girls themselves in front of the party.

Mario realized that this room was more than just glass. It looked rather like a bedroom. A bed rested on either side, on with pink sheets and the other white. Both girls sat on the pink one. There was also a desk cluttered with…blue boxes. These girls really were insane.

"You know, it's not very nice to insult another's family, no matter how evil they are," Kat remarked listlessly. "It really isn't. But then, you've never been exactly popular for kindness, have you?" She then laughed.

Kat and Violon looked at each other and nodded before looking back at the party. "Kat, the Queen of Life," Kat began.

"And Violon, the Queen of Time," Violon continued, "hereby commend you all-"

"On your performance so far," the girls said together.

"But it is with great regret that we must say," Kat said in a grand tone.

"That the performance ends here," they chimed. Kat then giggled again.

"Could you stop laughing like that? It's getting stupid," Mario told her.

"You know what else is stupid, is when a school suspends you for truancy. It's like they're saying, you don't come to school, so we're gonna make you not come to school. How weird is that?"

"Kat, that's not the point. I'm going to tell you this on a level that maybe you can understand. We don't like you, and we _won't_ go to your dad's castle. Okay?" Mario asked smugly.

Kat shoved her sister off her bed and lay down on it with her wrists bent. She then threw back her head and cackled again. "I could understand you," she explained. "You know, we're not really dumb, just different."

"Mentally insane is the term I would use," Mario said.

"Why not mentally hilarious?" Kat chuckled.

"Because you're not that funny," Mario answered.

"You know what else isn't funny-" Kat began, grinning.

"No! Enough of your stupid psyche subject-changing things! It's really stupid!" Mario cried. "Now stand up so you can die!"

That seemed to get Kat's attention. She gave him an odd, frosty look that he had not yet seen on her and stood up, helping Violon-who was still on the ground-to her feet. "_What_ did you say to me?" she demanded.

"I told you to stand up so you could die," Mario replied nonchalantly.

"You think _I'll_ be doing the dying?!" Kat shouted. "'Cause if you do, you've got another thing coming, fat man. I've been trying to freak you out since yesterday when I first met you. But it sounds like mental discipline hasn't done you a thing."

"Discipline?" Mario laughed. "You called that punishment? I called that a joke!"

Kat completely ignored him. "So I guess we'll have to bring physical pain into this. I really didn't want this, Mario, but you've pushed us too far."

"Look who's talking," Mario remarked smartly.

"I thought we could be friends," Kat said softly.

Mario stared at her in shock.

"But now that you've ruined that, we're going to have to hurt you," Kat continued angrily. "Violon, they're not being very nice, right?"

"Right, Kat," Violon answered in a monotonous voice.

"Then let's be teachers and teach them how _good kids act._"

**Yay, I'm finally done. That's it for today, but don't worry, we'll be back eventually. Tell me what you thought please!**

**By the way, that last sentence, if you didn't just figure it out, was the reason for the odd title of this chapter. Funny, huh?**

**By the way again, I don't own Thoroughly Modern Millie or any of that.**

**See ya!**


	39. SchoolTime: Part VII

**Hello, this is Frederic Marile. Awesome, right? Nah, not really. _Anyway,_ here we are at the next part of Legend of the Clouds…Remember that I don't own Mario, and we'll get going!**

With a completely expressionless face that was very uncharacteristic of her, Kat leaped at Mario, pulling her two katana swords out of nowhere like she had the first time. Mario jumped out of the way and narrowly avoided being impaled. His partners shortly joined him, for Kat was still high enough in the air to hit them. Mario let out a breath of frustration. "What is wrong with you?" he shouted.

Kat looked at him again, her face betraying no emotion. "You know what's wrong with me," she replied in one hundred percent monotone. "You know what's wrong with both of us. We have nothing."

"You have Troy for a father," Goomessa argued. "That's _something._"

"Just think, won't you?" Violon snapped, standing up and advancing toward the party. "If Daddy really loved us, do you think he would send us here?"

"What do you mean?" Mario asked numbly.

"I mean just what I said," Violon told him angrily. "Daddy doesn't care, so he's sent us to do something just because he doesn't want to it himself. This is like trying to explain pie to a four-year-old. Use your stupid brains."

Mario stared at the floor and thought. She was right. What kind of person was Troy to send his daughters out to possibly get killed?

_He's not a person, remember? Troy is no real person,_ he told himself.

"So now you know why we have to do this, right?" Kat suddenly laughed, grinning at the party and walking quickly their way. "We're going to make you feel what we've felt all of our lives. We're going to make to make you hurt like we hurt!"

The crazy, clownish Kat Mario knew was back, as annoying as ever. Furious, Mario took out his hammer and ran toward her, brandishing his weapon as he approached her. He was lucky it was made of steel. He was vaguely aware of Koopetto and Snow running to join him.

He and Kat quickly got into a duel-hammer against katana while Koopetto and Snow prepared to attack. Mario found painfully that despite her small stature, Kat had muscles on her. While Mario had to really work to keep his hammer in place, Kat looked like she found this easy, even boring. To emphasize, she removed one hand from the sword and filed the fingernails of her other hand with it. Smiling at the effect, she turned back to Mario and replaced her hand on the hilt of her sword. Grinning even wider now, she actually put force into her hold.

Mario fell to the ground immediately. Kat jumped to avoid both of Mario's partners' attacks and stood over the plumber with a sparkle in her eyes. "So…you're in a bad way, aren't you?"

"Oh no you don't!" Snow shouted, throwing a chunk of ice at her. Kat shrunk back.

"Aha! Little cheater, have we?" Kat laughed. "You're all jerks, you know that?"

She then threw her arms to her sides, her swords flashing. Mario took this opportunity to see how his other partners were faring. Violon was much weaker than her sister, but she seemed to have the upper hand at the moment. Hauling ball after ball of elemental magic over her shoulder was a better strategy than Mario thought, and his partners weren't doing so great.

He was going to stand up and try to help them, but his attention was distracted when Kat's voice suddenly rose up. "Roulette!" she shouted giddily. Violon stared at her in fear. "Are you sure?" she called. "We haven't-"

Kat nodded furiously, and the girls suddenly began running off. Mario stared at both of them, wondering what they could be doing. Kat stopped at one end of the room, skidding to a halt, while Violon skipped a few times to stop herself at the other. The girls grinned at each other. Mario stood up and started running towards Kat to try and stop her, although he had no idea what they were doing.

Kat started running around the perimeter of the glass room, her swords bared in front of her. Violon hurled another fireball at her, causing Mario to leap out of the way confusedly. But Kat only caught it on one of her swords and continued to run faster. Mario tried to chase her again, but she quickly became too fast for him. Fire trailed behind her as she sped up even more. In fact, she was running faster than humanly possible.

Violon threw a ball of lightning at her sister, who caught this one as well on the other katana. Mario and his partners tried to catch Kat, but she was already becoming a blur of fire and electricity. It was just then that Mario realized what she was going to do.

He noticed she did that a lot-she would do something that Mario couldn't understand until she figured he did, and then she would stop. One of her many quirks that annoyed Mario so much.

Kat whirled around and sped at the party, her swords straight in front of her. Everyone avoided her, but she quickly turned and ran back at them, hitting Koopetto in the shell. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Mario was at a loss for what to do. So many things were happening all at once.

So he did the first thing he instinctively knew to do when he wished everything would tone down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his second Cloud Fragment, the rings he had retrieved from Octobust. Holding them up in the air, he prayed they would work on the girls.

There was a large wave that shot through the air. Kat and Violon stared at it (although Mario could only guess with Kat) before it hit them. Kat fell to the ground, trying to stop herself, and Violon tried to reach for Mario, but they were both moving at a small fraction of their former speed.

Mario stood up with effort and, while he moved with a limp, ran over to Kat with his hammer out. She stared, terrified, at him, trying to stand up but unable to move very fast. Mario reached her long before she could stand, hitting her over the head with his hammer. She cried out and fell back down.

Mario was about to hit her again when he suddenly felt pain lace through his back and neck. Turning around to see what had happened, he saw Violon grinning at him. "Just…because…we're slow…doesn't…mean…we're not…better," she teased slowly. Mario glared at her and stared to run at her now, followed by a few of his partners.

But it seemed that the Time Warp spell was already beginning to wear off, and as he and his partners continued to fight the sisters, the quickly regained their energy. These girls sure were persistent. Mario decided that they should get the best of the slowness before it wore off completely, trying to hit Kat and missing most of the time. She was just too quick.

Eventually, he finally got a good hit on her. She was knocked to ground. Mario stood over her, glaring at her. "Why are you taking this out on us?" he demanded.

"Because you're just the suckers who thought it was a good idea to go against Daddy," Kat replied weakly.

"But your father hates you," Snow insisted, sounding sympathetic even though she was preparing to release a fireball.

Kat looked helplessly at her. "Look, we don't know, okay?" she cried. "We just can't hate him. He's…well, he's Troy. He's a king. And a good one, too. He has everything about him that a person can love."

As she stood up, she continued. "He's got charisma, charm, intelligence…"

Mario frowned. "So you're trying to say…that you love your father for everything you would love about him as a ruler? You don't even think of him as a father? You think of him as you political better, but you don't actually love him. This is crazy…"

Kat's eyes widened, as though this revelation was completely new to her. "I guess you're right," she whispered. "I never though about that…" Sharply looking back up at Mario, she suddenly shouted, "Why would you tell me that? Now we _can't_ be his daughters. I can't even…

"…But if I'm going to die," she whispered again with a slight grin, "you're going with me."

Mario stared at her in shock. _What is she talking about?_ He thought in fear. Kat smiled at him and lifted her sword, which still sparked from Violon's magic. Violon stepped up next to her, putting more fire on the katana and then lifting her own hands.

Mario barely had time to start running toward the girls before Violon shot black energy at all of his partners, encasing them all in force fields. Mario turned the other way and ran at the fields, trying to break them open, but it couldn't be done. Violon cackled at the attempt.

Kat smirked at him and ran towards him with her swords gleaming. Mario tried to run but Kat caught his shirt on the edge of her katana. Mario stared, horrified, at her. "What is _with_ you?" he demanded. "Why are you doing this?!"

"Violon, have it done," Kat ordered. Her sister walked shakily over to the two, her hands glowing.

"Kat, why _are_ you doing this, anyway? I think you're taking it too far," she whispered.

"Don't argue, Violon, just do what I say," Kat whispered back. "Now have it done. Now."

"Really, Kat," Violon insisted, louder now, "I don't think that-ow!"

Mario had seen the sisters' arguing as a chance to attack and had struck Violon hard in the back with his hammer. Kat spun around to face him just in time to be hit in the face. She released her katana from his overalls and fell to the ground. He then jumped on top of her stomach for good measure.

"You cretin!" Kat cried. Mario nodded.

"If I'm a cretin, wouldn't that make me just like you?" Mario asked. "I'd sure think so."

"You sound weird," Kat remarked, air leaving her lungs and making her sound even less confident.

"That's how you sound all the time," Mario told her, raising his hammer again and crashing it down on Kat once more, noticing also that his partners were now free from Violon's force fields.

Violon herself crouched on the floor with her hands on her head. That was weird; he was sure he'd hit her in her back. But that didn't matter, because his partners were already over to attack her. While Kat and Violon eventually struggled to a standing position, they looked very weak still. It was only a matter of minutes (though of course, Mario couldn't be sure) before Kat suddenly gave a gasp of pain and slunk to the floor. Mario frowned and walked over to her.

"You're done, Kat," he told her. "You're just done."

"I know that," she sighed.

"So," Goomessa said smugly, "any last words before you lose?"

Kat stared at her for a few seconds, and then whimpered, "Just one."

"One too many by my count," Wishes remarked angrily.

Mario looked at Kat in front of him and Violon a few feet away and, for the first time he remembered, actually felt sorry for them. "No. Let them speak," he ordered.

A horrible grin spread across the girls' faces. Mario knew what the word was a second before it was out, but he couldn't stop it from coming.

"FATHER!"

Mario couldn't even move for fear. Right above the glass room, a black circle opened up in mid-air. Mario stepped back and hit something solid. He turned around to see Kat standing right behind him with a dagger in her hand, pointed right at his neck. He looked back at the wall to see if he was hallucinating and saw that Kat was no longer there. Looking back up, he saw the black circle growing larger. As he had anticipated, Troy dropped out of the portal, his cape flying in the wind and his top hat wavering on his head.

He soon reached the ground, catching himself on one knee with his other hand. "Kat, Violon, you called me," he said in a threatening tone.

"Daddy, this guy is being rude to us," Kat told him with a simpering smile.

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Troy chuckled. "Mario…prepare to die, once and for all."

"Violon! The sands?" Kat called.

Violon stood up and nodded. "Get the water out," she ordered. Kat nodded back and suddenly dropped Mario.

"So, Mario!" Kat suddenly shouted, putting her hands in a cup in front of her. Her sister did the same. "Remember how I'm the Queen of Life and Violon is the Queen of Time? Well, the reason for that is because we own their special objects."

"What?" was all Mario could say.

"I am the official owner of the Waters of Life," Kat clarified. A ball of water formed in the cup of her hands.

"And I have the Sands of Time," Violon told him, forming a ball of sand in her own hands.

"Aren't we amazing?" Kat laughed. "Now…Daddy, let's start this thing."

"Of course, Kat," Troy agreed amusedly. "Violon, over here!"

Violon walked gingerly over to the two without moving her hands. Mario gulped. What were they planning on doing, anyway?

Violon walked until she was standing in front of Kat and poured the Sands of Time into her hands. Kat cackled again, watching as the sand and water mixed together, flashing and beaming as it did so.

Troy then lifted his scepter. Mario noticed for the first time that at the tip of the scepter was a little glass ball. Inside the ball was something Mario hadn't seen in a while-a Power Star. It was a simple yellow star with black eyes. He wondered how it could be there.

But before he could think any longer, Troy suddenly shot a beam from his scepter at Mario, trapping him in a glass ball of his own. "Goodbye, Mario," he whispered.

Kat and Violon threw their concoction at Mario. It exploded, scattering light, sand, and water everywhere. Mario's eyes widened as he witnessed the air around him turn brighter. In fact, as he looked down at his hands and body, he realized in horror that everything was quickly losing color. Troy and his daughters laughed as the entire room lost focus and definition.

"Goodbye!" Kat and Violon chimed. "Forever!"

The last thing Mario heard before losing consciousness was Kat's awful cackling ringing out in the light.

**That's it for today, peoples.**

**How did you like my ********super special fire-breathing awesome-face tcao-filled plot twist? Seriously, tell me what you thinked.**

**********I know thinked isn't a word.**

**********Stop harassing me about it!**

**********_Anyway_, thanks for reading, and...**

**********See ya!**


	40. SchoolTime: Part VIII

**Hey guys, Frederic Marile here. Since I don't really have much to say, let's get star- WAIT!**

**Frederic Marile does not own Mario or the characters in it or he would be actually cool. Or Converse shoes either but whatever.**

**ted! Let's go!**

_Why does my face feel so warm?_

_Why do I feel all tingly all around?_

_Is my whole body asleep? No, that wouldn't make sense. What's going on? And where am I?_

Who_ am I?_

_Why can't I think? This doesn't make any sense, I can't think._

_Let me see if my body works. Okay, that's working. But why can't I remember anything? What happened to me?_

_And my body is still asleep. That reminds me, I should see where I am._

He opened his eyes.

_Okay, what's going on? I can't see!_

Eventually, his sight returned to him and he got a look at his surroundings. He was staring at something brown and striped. After a few moments, he realized he was lying on his back. So he must have been looking at the ceiling. But where _was_ he? And how long had he been here?

He could see, he could feel, he could smell…and he also heard something clanging somewhere a ways away. But could he speak?

He opened his mouth and tried to use his vocal chords. He both felt and heard a physical snap run through his throat, but then found he could speak. "Hello?" he called, but it was very soft. He called again, but louder this time. "Hello? Is someone there?"

A man came running into the room. He looked about forty years old. He wore a red plaid shirt with a white satin jacket, blue slacks, and a gray beret. He also sported black cotton gloves, a pair of reading glasses, and black Converse.

_Weird, that's not how Luigi usually dresses,_ he thought instinctively.

Luigi!

"It's you!" he cried, stumbling out of whatever was keeping him off the floor and standing up. So he _could_ stand. That was a good sign.

The man stared at him. "I-I guess it is," he stuttered in a deep voice. "But what are you talking about? How do you…"

"Luigi!" he laughed joyously. "I haven't seen you in days! I was worried Troy had-and you would have-and then Peach, she-"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Luigi shouted. "First, how do you know my name? Second, what do you mean, you haven't seen me in days? And third, how do you know who Troy and Peach are?"

Mario hung his mouth open. "Luigi, you-what are you talking about? Why would I _not_ know your name? You're my…and how is it…but where is Peach?"

"What do you mean?" Luigi cried helplessly. "Peach is in the kitchen. Wait…why am I telling you this? I don't know you! Why are you acting like you know me? I don't understand!"

Mario's eye twitched. "Wh-wha…you don't know me?"

"Of course I don't," Luigi snapped. "You're just some guy we found unconscious when we arrested Kat and Violon."

Mario gazed at Luigi with disbelieving eyes, lost in his thoughts. This was impossible. Kat and Violon were arrested…Luigi had no idea who he was.

He fought with himself over what to say. Should he just pretend to accept what Luigi was saying and go back to sleep? Or should he ask further about what this was?

Could his brother be playing a joke on him? That sounded likely…

Suddenly it occurred to him to ask something completely out of the blue. He was almost scared to ask it, but he had to know. "Luigi…what day is it?"

Luigi turned back at him with a soft glare on his face. "Okay, I guess I'm just going to stop trying to figure out why you know my name. It's Wednesday," he answered quietly.

"No, not the day…the date," Mario clarified.

"The date?" Luigi asked. "Oh, okay…today is…Christmas Eve."

Mario stared at him in shock. "C-Christmas Eve? That's impossible! It's the middle of August!"

"What are you talking about, man?" Luigi demanded. "What are you smoking? Then again, I guess that would make sense…"

"Luigi, what year is it?!" Mario shouted.

"2025."

Mario stared, but he may as well have been looking through Luigi rather than at him. 2025. That was the year. Really.

"What kind of joke are you trying to pull on me, Luigi?!" he screamed, clutching the sides of his head. "What kind of sick joke…"

"Who are you, anyway?" Luigi asked unsympathetically.

"It's me! Mario! You know who I am!"

"I've never seen you before in my life," Luigi insisted. "Well, besides finding-"

"_Don't lie to me, Luigi!_" Mario shouted, falling back into the bed he had been in before. "How can this happen? What's going on?"

"What _is_ going on?" called another voice from outside. Mario looked up in surprise. Standing in the doorway was a woman about Luigi's age. She was dressed in a white blouse and long red skirt, pink rabbit slippers, and pink ribbons tying up two long pigtails.

"Peach?" he asked. It had to be her, but something was different.

"So he's woken up…" she said softly to Luigi. Luigi nodded.

Mario breathed in and out a few times to try and calm himself down. "Okay, would you two mind explaining…oh, I don't know, everything?"

"What do you mean?" Luigi asked.

"I_ mean,_ last time I knew, it was the year 2010. And Tory was trying to take over the world. And…everything else too. What's happened? And why haven't I been around to see it?"

"Well…" Luigi sighed. "I can't explain everything, but I'll try. See, we got word that these two girls who'd been causing trouble were in Sadiel's Mill. You must know that place if you were here fifteen years ago. We suspected the girls of being in league with Troy, and had them arrested and taken to Mushroom Kingdom jail."

"I'd never known I had a jail," Peach put in.

"Those girls are Troy's daughters," Mario told him.

"Oh. We didn't know that," Luigi muttered. "Anyway, when we found them, we also found you. You were asleep or something like that. So we brought you to my house, and you've been sleeping for fifteen years, plus however long you were out before…"

"This is insane," Mario remarked. "I didn't think something like this could happen. What about Troy?"

"Ooh, this isn't gonna be pretty," Luigi told him. "We lost the upper hand to Troy twelve years ago. He came to power…what a minute, this is getting freakier every-"

"When did he come to power?" Mario asked.

"Fifteen years ago, around the middle of August," Luigi whispered.

"I told you!" Mario cried. "But how can I just sleep for fifteen years? This is crazy? And where did the others-oh no."

"Oh no what?" Luigi asked.

"My friends," Mario replied hollowly. "You didn't know who I was-"

"Who _are_ you, anyway?" Luigi interrupted him.

"Luigi, you're not going to believe me, but I'm your brother."

Luigi bit his lip. "You're right, I don't believe it. What do you mean, you're my brother? How could that be?"

"Luigi, could you just trust me? I'm your brother! And I wish you could remember that! As my brother, you're supposed to be weird, you're lazy, you're clumsy, you're not very charming, you're not a good conversationalist, you're a coward…and sometimes you're a bit stupid. But I'd rather have you be all that and remember me than have you _not_ remember."

"Wow. I'm touched," Luigi said sarcastically.

"Please, Luigi! Just believe me, please? I'm your brother, but you don't remember me, and something weird's going on about all this. But I think I know what happened to me to have this happen…" Mario mused.

"Then be my guest and tell me, because I don't know about you, but I think I would remember my own brother."

"No, you wouldn't," Mario told him. "Not since Kat and Violon did what they did. They and their father used some kind of magic spell on me, and it might have made it so that nobody remembered me."

"That's crazy," Luigi protested. "I don't think…" He trailed off.

"But it might have backfired on them," Mario continued, ignoring his brother. "Because they sounded like they wanted me dead, but I guess it didn't work. But this is really bad, because if even you don't remember me, I'm sure my other friends won't."

"What friends are these?" Peach asked.

"I'm sure you only knew one of them, Luigi, Well, two of them actually, but you only met one of them."

"Who?" Luigi asked briefly.

"Goomessa," Mario answered. "But I'm sure you don't remember her, because you never knew me-"

"Goomessa? You seriously knew her?" Luigi chuckled.

"What, you remember her too?" Mario asked hopefully. "As a friend?"

"As a brand owner," Luigi corrected, walking over to the fireplace and beckoning Mario to follow him. "Look there," he ordered, pointing to a glass plate on the mantle plate with a black and white picture on it. It was a picture of Goomessa in front of a large building that had a large ribbon tied around it. The building read "Smileys" on the front. Goomessa was winking at someone who held a pair of scissors, ready to cut the ribbon. After some inspection, Mario discovered the person was actually Luigi, albeit an oddly dressed Luigi. He had never seen his brother in a suit and tie or without his green hat before. Well, he could turn around and see him without his hat right now, but before now at least.

"Smileys Incorporated," Luigi announced. "Goomessa Finch opened it seven years ago when she was twenty-two. She got me to cut the special ribbon 'cause she thought it would get people to come. And what do you know, it's actually become very successful. Here I had been, thinking it would go down after a few months. But she actually designed what I'm wearing right now."

"That can't be true, Goomessa hates plaid," Mario said uninterestedly. Suddenly realization came to him, and he turned around and stared at Luigi. "Wait a minute. Goomessa is a _fashion designer?_"

"That's what I'm saying," Luigi confirmed.

"This is worse than I thought," Mario fretted. "Goomessa isn't supposed to be girly. And strange enough," he added, sitting down, "I never knew her last name before now."

"Yeah, the Finches are a lot more well-known now that Goomessa is running a popular business. But you what? I never really liked her."

"She's a personality all her own, isn't she?" Mario chuckled. "I guess I'll just have to convince her to come with me. And everyone else, too."

"Who exactly is 'everyone', anyway? Besides Goomessa?" Luigi asked.

Mario told his brother all about his partners. Luigi sounded honestly impressed, especially when he mentioned Snow. _Predictable Luigi,_ Mario thought.

"But how did you meet them anyway?" Luigi persisted.

"Well, Luigi, first I have a question to ask _you_. I've gotten this impression from talking to you that you've taken my place," Mario told him. "See, _I_ used to be the big famous adventurer guy."

"Really?" Luigi asked. "But now that those girls did this to you, nobody knows you," he guessed.

"Right," Mario confirmed. "And now I'll just have to get all of my friends to come with me and go for the next Fragments. Oh wait, that's another thing. Do you know about the Cloud Fragments?"

"Of course," Luigi answered. "I have three of them."

"Really." Mario stared at his brother in surprise. "So did I. From who?"

"These three freakshows called Caslio, Octobust, and Smudgey."

"Creepy…" Mario said quietly. "Those were the same guys I got mine from."

"This _is_ getting weird," Peach spoke up. "It's like you both had the same histories."

"Almost, except I never cut a ribbon for Goomessa Finch," Mario reminded.

"That's because…you've been asleep then," Luigi guessed. "I bet if you'd still been in your other time, you know, before Kat and Violon did what they did, then you would have ended up doing just that."

"Luigi, you're pretty smart sometimes," Mario remarked.

"Didn't you say before I was _stupid_ sometimes?" Luigi asked.

"I did say sometimes. Other times, you're pretty smart."

"Thanks, bro," Luigi said gratefully.

"Let's see," Mario began in thought. "Luigi, where is Smileys Incorporated? Do you remember?"

"Of course I do," Luigi replied. "It's in Paratonis."

"Paratonis?" Mario repeated. "Why would she put it there? That's odd."

"Well, because Paratonis is a busy place that lots of people go to. It was the perfect spot, she said."

"Okay…" Mario said confusedly. "One more thing. How do you get to Paratonis from here?"

"You go to Toad Town, and go to the south part of town, and they've put in a little pay road that leads there. You got any money?"

"Yeah, I do," Mario answered, checking his pockets. "Thanks, Luigi."

"Hey, you can't go yet," Luigi protested. "You should have some hot chocolate first. I make great hot chocolate."

"I'm recognizing you more every second," Mario remarked happily.

After the group finished their hot chocolate and Peach and Luigi said their good-byes, Mario left the house for Toad Town. He just wished he had worn a coat-Luigi hadn't been joking when he had said it was Christmas Eve. If he was lucky, he would be able to get to Smileys before it got too cold. Luckily it was noon.

Going south as Luigi had instructed, he saw the tollbooth his brother had mentioned. A small Toad stood there. "Excuse me," Mario called, running over to the booth.

The Toad looked at him and waved. "Do you need to get to Paratonis?" he guessed. Mario nodded.

"How much does that cost?" he asked.

"Thirty coins," the Toad replied. Mario thanked him and pulled the money out of his wallet.

After the Toad counted the money to make sure it was the right amount, he allowed Mario to pass.

Once in Paratonis, Mario gaped. Something had happened to this place. It was no longer the boring, life-sucking Paratonis he knew and hated. This was a buzzing-with-life, interesting place that Mario did not recognize.

But it was fun to look at. Mario walked around for a while, admiring the new look of the place. He had time to spend if Kat and Violon were already in jail. Now he would just have to find his partners and possibly…oh great.

What of Maddie? What could have happened to her? It was evident if Troy had taken control before that she had failed to stop him. So how was she faring now? The more he thought about it, the less safe he felt.

He decided he should hurry anyway. Smileys couldn't be too far away. He decided it might do him well to get another map. But where was the tourist center from here?

He decided to ask someone. He called to a Yoshi passing by. As the Yoshi approached with a smile on his face, Mario suddenly realized this was the same Yoshi he had asked this question to, fifteen and a half years ago. Of course, Mario only remembered it as a few days. "What's up?" the Yoshi greeted him.

"Could you direct me to the Tourist Center?" Mario asked.

"Sure!" the Yoshi answered, pointing to a gray building a ways away reading "Tourist Center". "It's right over there."

"Thanks," Mario said. So it was as he expected. Not only was the town different, but its people, too. Maybe everything was different now. He didn't know what he would do about that.

Once in the building, Mario looked around for the front desk, finding it in the same place it was before. He strolled up to it and got Melissa's attention, receiving a shining face in response.

"Uh, hello," Mario greeted. "Could I have a map-"

"Of course!" Melissa affirmed brightly, reaching down, taking a map out of her desk, and handing it to him.

"Thank you," Mario said, turning to leave.

"Yep!" Melissa beamed.

Back outside, Mario took a look at his new map, becoming surprised as he did so. The place was huge now. It took him a few moments to find a large building with "Smileys Fashion" written next to it in small lettering. He turned in the direction of the building and walked for a few minutes before seeing the logo. It was very flashily designed-in loopy cursive with a "smiley face" replacing the dot above the I, the place and name obviously meant business.

But as he came up on the actual building, it became clear that the place itself wasn't very big or flashy. It was a simple red dome with white sliding glass doors. Strange; in the picture at Luigi's house it had been rectangular. Maybe they had made repairs since then.

As Mario walked inside, he had the feeling of ice washing over him in the air. It must have been ten degrees in here. He looked around and saw other people shivering and crossing their arms. In the distance he heard a female voice explaining the temperature:

"We keep the temperature relatively low because we believe it exerts a positive attitude and enables people to think better. It also keeps the clothes from drying or tearing in heat."

After a few moments, Mario realized who the owner of the voice was. It was Goomessa. Running suddenly, he looked all around him, hoping to find her. In a small corner, he found her looking carefully at a blue silk dress. But what she herself was wearing surprised Mario. In a bright orange skirt and lacy purple shirt, pale blue dancing shoes, and white ribbons in suddenly blonde hair, she was a sight to see. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"Yeah, wait one minute," she ordered in a high voice. "Dats! Over here!"

_Dats?_ Mario repeated to himself._ The Goomba from the pub?_

Presently Dats arrived. "You called, miss?" he asked.

"Oh, just call me Goomessa," she told him. "Now, what are we charging on this?" she continued, indicating the dress she was looking at.

"180 Coins," Dats answered briefly.

"180?" Goomessa repeated in a shocked tone. Mario agreed; not that he was an expert on clothes, but that was a lot. But he was even more baffled when the Goombette continued. "Is this a boutique or a flea market? Make it three hundred."

As Dats walked off with the dress, she called back, "Hey, Dats? What are you doing Friday?"

Dats smiled at her and nodded. She smiled back and he skipped merrily away this time.

"Okay, I'm not even going to ask," Mario whispered to himself. "Now, ma'am, I have to-"

"Sir, I have a bit of work to do," she snapped, "so you'll have to follow me if you have something to say."

"Okay…" Mario agreed uncertainly. This was nowhere near the Goomessa he knew. "I have to ask you something."

"Okay, dude, you're not getting it," Goomessa said exasperatedly. "I don't want to talk to you, Luigi. And you look stupid, too."

It was only then that Mario realized he had been wearing the same tuxedo now for fifteen years.

**That's it for today, people-y peoples.**

**Tell me what you thought and all that junk, please.**

**PLEASE.**

**And since I have nothing else to say...**

**See ya!**


	41. SchoolTime: Part IX

**Hi, Freddy here. Here we are at my not-quite-middle-of-the-line-but-hopefully-higher-than-really-low story! Hooray…! I think.**

**Also, for the first time, I'm going to try using colons for my story breaks because underscore strings and things like that don't seem to work anymore. Let's see if the colons are better.**

**I don't own Mario, so let's get going before I explode out of no funny stuff to say.**

**:::::**

Mario sighed. "Ma'am, I'm not Luigi," he explained. "I'm his brother."

Goomessa smirked at him. "Luigi Mario doesn't have a brother," she laughed, turning and walking the other direction. "He told me he was an only child. You're crazy."

"I'm not crazy. He _thought_ he was an only child," Mario told her. "But Kat and Violon-and…oh, this won't be good."

"Crazy!" Goomessa laughed again, louder this time. "Look, man, I don't know who you are, but you're getting ugly and stupid all over my store, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Goomessa please!" Mario insisted. "Something's happened to the whole 'space-time'-"

"Security!" Goomessa called. "Get this freak out of here!"

A pair of Koopas in white suits arrived quickly and grabbed Mario by the shoulders. "Get off me!" Mario growled. "Really, Goomessa, there's something that's happened-"

"Sir, we're going to have to remove you from the store," one of the Koopas said in a deep voice.

"Please, just let me talk to her," Mario pleaded. "I know I can explain if you just let me down and-ow!"

The other of the two guards twisted his arm with a smug expression.

"Let me down," Mario ordered threateningly, "or your ugly faces ain't gonna be so pretty anymore."

The guards dropped him immediately. Brushing himself off, he turned back to Goomessa. "Now. Goomessa, I'm going to try to explain this to you again, and I'd appreciate it if you'd listen. Fifteen years ago, these two girls, Kat and Violon-"

"King Troy's daughters," Goomessa interrupted.

"Sure, that's right," Mario affirmed. "Those girls put this spell on the universe to kind of change history."

Goomessa laughed. "Changing history? That's funny."

"Could you stop interrupting?" Mario demanded. Goomessa frowned and he continued. "Kat and Violon made it so that nobody would remember who I am. I used to be…rather well-known as an adventurer. But now Luigi is the adventurer, Troy's taken over the world, and everything is changed. Paratonis is suddenly a fun place to be…and look at you. You're…ugh."

"Ex-_cuse_ me?" Goomessa cried. "I'm 'ugh'?"

"Well, I mean, you're-you're Goomessa," Mario tried to explain. "I know you. You're supposed to be a good friend of mine. We were on this big journey to get rid of Troy. And you're not supposed to be girly."

"I'm not girly," Goomessa said defensively. "I'm proud of-okay, I'm girly. But I don't get this. You sound way too serious to be making stuff up, but this whole spell on the universe thing doesn't make any sense. How would…oh, why did I have to be at work today?"

"You're an entrepreneur," Mario reminded her. "Don't you have to come to work everyday?"

"Yeah, well, you're an adventurer who's standing in the middle of a clothing store talking nonsense to the owner," Goomessa remarked, smirking.

"Touché."

"But seriously, dude, I don't understand this. And I really don't know whether to believe you or not. If I _were_ to go on a big journey with you…didn't you say this was fifteen years ago?" Goomessa asked.

"Yes, I did," Mario confirmed. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I don't know about you, but I'm twenty-nine now, and I don't think I'd be cut out for an adventure. Besides…it just sounds weird to me," Goomessa whined, turning around afterwards in embarrassment.

"Don't worry, Goomessa," Mario assured her. "You look fine for-"

"Really?" Goomessa said giddily. "I look fine? Well, I suppose if I were to go with you looking fine, that would be great!"

Mario blinked. "That is not at all the Goomessa I know, but I'll take it."

They started towards the entrance to leave, but before they got very far, they suddenly heard a low rumbling sound. "What's that?" Goomessa asked cautiously.

Mario stepped forward and was suddenly shocked by a horrid, cacophonous giggling sound of several different voices. After calming himself, Mario realized there was a very low voice, a high one, and five or so in between. Looking around, he discovered everything around him was growing dark.

Then suddenly the ground shook harder, and seven sort of humanoid figures suddenly appeared in front of the pair. Customers around them shrieked and ran. The figures were faint at first before becoming more solid. Mario could tell there was a very small one-barely half Mario's height-and other progressively larger ones until the last one was around twice his size. "Okay, what up with the trippy colors?" Goomessa demanded.

She was right; the seven figures were colored the different colors of the rainbow. The smallest was red and the largest was purple. They suddenly began to speak to the pair in very different tones.

"You're in trouble, Mario!" the orange one cried angrily, pointing a long, sharp finger at the plumber. "You're still alive, so you're in trouble!"

"What are you talking about? And who the heck are you?" Goomessa demanded.

"He's _talking_ about Mario living when he wasn't supposed to," the green one answered in a very disdainful tone.

"And we don't _have_ to tell you our names if we don't feel like it," the blue one laughed.

"And why not?" Mario asked.

"Let's just tell him," the red one said expressionlessly. "We're called Dark Rainbow, and my name is Red Shines."

"I'm Orange Hook," the orange one explained, still sounding angry.

"Yellow Screech," the yellow one said softly and sadly.

Still scornful, "Green Blades."

Still laughing, "Blue Nightmare."

Sounding very scared, "Indigo Claw."

And jovially, "Violet Poison."

"And we're here to make sure you don't get any further," Red Shines told them. "You'll never get past us."

"Against _you_ guys? That's a joke," Mario chuckled. "You look like a circus threw up on you."

"You're so rude, you know that?" Green Blades asked, filing his or her-its voice was so level for being in the middle of the rainbow that it was impossible to tell what it was-nails. "Kat was right. And do you know what we do to rude people?"

"What do you do?" Mario asked with his hands on his hips. Then he suddenly did a double take. "Wait, _Kat?_ You're working for that freak in a dress? I thought she was in jail!"

"Not anymore!" Blue Nightmare giggled before pointing at Yellow Screech. Screech suddenly took a deep breath and assumed an oddly evil grin. Mario stared at her before she suddenly spoke. He recognized the voice immediately.

"That's right, Mario!" she crowed. "It's me, Kat! I'm out! And my little friends helped me! Isn't that great?"

Screech was speaking as a ventriloquist dummy, and Kat was her puppeteer. But Mario had been told not two hours ago that Kat was still in jail._ How could this happen?_ Mario thought.

"My friends work fast," Kat-talking-as-Screech explained, as though she could read Mario's mind. "Aren't they sweet to help me get out of jail? Aren't they so cute? Aren't they funny? Aren't they-"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Mario shouted. It was only after the exclamation was out that he remembered the girl saying that exact same thing what seemed to him only yesterday. But he knew it was much longer than that.

"And little Shines is right," Screech-Kat continued, completely ignoring him. "You're not going to beat them, no matter how hard you try.

"You know what, Kat?" Mario asked suddenly. "You're not very just or fair."

"What are you talking about?" Kat laughed with a smug grin on her face.

"Fifteen years ago, when you and your idiot sister and your creepy father made me disappear out of the memories of everyone on the face of the Earth. That wasn't fair."

"Mario, in case you hadn't noticed, doing what's right or fair has never really been my goal," Kat laughed again. "It's all very-"

Before she could finish that sentence, the real Yellow Screech broke in slowly and dolefully. "Lady Kat, I can't do this much longer. Besides, we need to stop Mario now."

"Well, Mario, I should say we can't talk anymore," Kat continued. "But it doesn't really matter, because you'll be gone soon, right? See you on the flop-side!"

Screech let out the air she had held in when Kat had first taken control and looked back up at him with a sad frown.

"Now get him!" Orange Hook screamed, pointing forward again. Mario expected Dark Rainbow all to come charging at him and braced himself, but he was shocked when the only one to move was Shines. The others all disappeared. "We don't work together very well," Shines mumbled as she fidgeted in her pocket in her red jeans and took a rusty brown dagger from it, dashing at Mario and Goomessa as she did.

Mario instinctively reached for his hammer but was horrified to discover it wasn't there. He realized suddenly that it must be at Luigi's house. _Well,_ he thought,_ I didn't get these Super Boots for nothing._

He ran to meet Shines and jumped up in the air, watching in confusion the still expressionless face she had as he landed on top of her. She fell to the ground, the dagger falling from her hands, and looked back up at the plumber behind her. "So you actually have some fight in you," she mused. "Kat told us you were a weak, spineless, fool."

"Prideful jerks, you all are," Mario muttered. Shines began to stand up with glazed look in her eyes and jumped at Mario.

"You'll pay for that," she muttered, plunging the dagger in front of her and catching Mario's shoulder. He kicked her to make her let go and ran after her. Goomessa was one step ahead of him, and as she prepared to strike again, the Goombette Headbonked her from behind. Mario was genuinely surprised that she had done that-he supposed in some ways this time was like his own. Then again, Headbonking was a sort of an instinct for Goombas, he thought. Shines turned and stared at Goomessa.

"You dirty cheater," she said quietly, rushing up to the Goombette and swiping through the air with her weapon. Goomessa narrowly avoided being sliced in half. Shines sighed, a long, slow sigh, before raising her arm in the air. Mario's eyes widened and he almost fell to the ground in shock. Shines' sleeve fell and the two fighting discovered that her entire arm made up the dagger Mario had thought she was holding. Shines reached up and licked off her "arm" the small amount of blood she had taken from Mario's shoulder.

Mario, in a sudden fit of rage, ran up and punched Shines swiftly in the head before gripping her frizzy hair and throwing her to the ground. He did, however, have to reach down far as the mutant girl was very short. Goomessa followed up and leaped on her face, which she clutched afterwards. "Mario…I hate you…" she moaned, raising her head but dropping it again. "This is insanity. I can't lose."

"No, you're just stupid and we're better fighters than you," Mario returned.

"But my brothers and sisters will be waiting for you," Shines assured them. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must disappear."

Mario was about to ask how exactly she could leave the store-she was quite close to being dead-when there was suddenly a black bolt of lightning in the store and she really did disappear into thin air. Goomessa looked fretfully at the charred spot of the tile floor where the lightning had hit and suddenly shrugged.

"I guess I'll just do what the Finches always do," she chuckled. "Loaf around while someone else cleans up my mess."

**:::::**

Once outside the store, Goomessa turned to Mario again. "So, explain this to me again, moustache. How exactly did…whatever happened to you happen?"

"Okay, first, my name is Mario. You should have listened to the rainbow idiots," Mario told her. "Second, sure, I'll tell you again. Kat and Violon said something about having the Waters of Life and the Sands of Time. Then they mixed them together, and…oh, I can't remember much more after that, but I know they did something to that effect. And then Troy blasted me and the next thing I know I'm in Luigi's house and it's fifteen years later than I thought it was. It's crazy and I don't get it, but that's what must have happened to me. Those girls are just freaks. And so is Troy."

"I can't say I disagree with you," Goomessa commented, "but this is all so weird. I've been living for twenty-nine years, and suddenly some guy I don't know comes and tells me that my life is completely fake. I just don't get it very well."

"Just wait 'till we find the others," Mario sighed.

"Others? What others? There are others?" Goomessa asked.

"Oh, yeah, I kind of forgot this part," Mario chuckled nervously. "We have other friends. Four other friends, actually."

"Who? Are they cool?" Goomessa persisted.

"Yeah, they're cool," Mario answered. "You might know one of them, unless this whole world is topsy-turvy. I've figured out that in some ways, this place is just like my 'other time', and in some ways it's not."

"Who are they?" Goomessa asked.

"The first one we're going to visit lives in Gillisville," Mario told her.

"I've heard of that place," Goomessa mused. "Well, let's get going then, shall we?"

"Sure thing," Mario replied. "Just let me check my map. I got it at the Tourist Center. You know, it's awfully weird seeing that Melissa girl be actually nice and interested."

"Oh, Melissa? I never liked her," Goomessa murmured.

"You always have to have the last word, don't you?" Mario chuckled, retrieving the map from his pocket.

"No, I don't," Goomessa defended.

"Goomessa?"

"Yeah?"

"You're still doing it," Mario told her.

"No, I'm not," Goomessa said sullenly.

**:::::**

**Well, that's it for today, peoples! What did you think? Tell me, please?**

**About **_**everything**_**. Tell me what you thought about **_**everything.**_** Yes…**

**See ya!**


	42. SchoolTime: Part X

**Hey, Freddy here. I'm way bored today, so I'm just gonna cut right to it.**

**I don't own Mario, yaddah yaddah yaddah yah.**

**Let's go.**

**:::::**

"Gillisville is way far away," Mario sighed, replacing the map back into his tuxedo pocket. "Which reminds me, I need to get new clothes…This tux is so itchy."

"And you couldn't of thought of that _before_ we left the store?" Goomessa remarked disdainfully.

"I don't need them right now," Mario told her. "Just eventually. Right now, we need to get to Gillisville. Let's go."

"Okeydokey, then," Goomessa sang. "Let's!"

They walked for about thirty minutes through the bustling city, talking as they went. Goomessa's conversations were so oddly self-concentric that Mario could swear he was talking to someone else. Like her weird older cousin. He'd long since decided that he'd have to get used to the different world around him if he was to survive getting all his friends, and hopefully returning to his own time. But all the same, it was increasingly difficult.

"It was actually only a few months ago that this big millionaire came along and I made him his very own suit and things…" Goomessa was saying. "He was really impressed."

"Here we are," Mario said hastily. "The pipe to-what the heck?"

Scratched on the surface of the pipe was a poorly scrawled note. Mario read it aloud: "'Gillisville has permanently evacuated for reason unable to be displayed on this pipe. Please find the former residents in Ritzeltown. Thank you for your patience.'"

"Well, that could be troublesome," Goomessa mused tiredly.

"I suppose so," Mario sighed again. "Ritzeltown isn't too terribly far away, though. Let's just get over there."

"I haven't been to Ritzeltown in a while," Goomessa laughed. "There's an awesome singer-"

"I don't want to hear about it," Mario cut her off. "You mocked me enough for not knowing her before."

"I wasn't even going to mock you!" Goomessa insisted.

"But now that you mention it, this is convenient," Mario decided. "We'll find both of them in Ritzeltown, which means less boring traveling."

"I wish you would tell me who they were, 'cause I'm excited…" Goomessa whined.

"You will learn in time, I promise," Mario chuckled. "Let's get going."

After another fifteen minutes of walking, the pair finally arrived at the pipe to Ritzeltown, right between the Starstrike Pub and the hardware store where Mario remembered it to be. They then hopped gingerly into the pipe and saw themselves into the city for the second time.

**:::::**

When the two exited the pipe, they discovered it was nighttime now. It was still very flashy and stately. "This place, on the other hand, hasn't changed at all," Mario mused as the two entered Ritzeltown. "I wonder why."

"I'm sure no time-changing event could mess with Ritzeltown," Goomessa laughed. "It's way too fancy. But there was this one time-"

"_Hi, Goomessa!_" came a shriek from somewhere to the north. "_I didn't expect to see you here, oh my gosh, it's you!_"

Goomessa spun on one shoe to see who was speaking. Mario remembered the nasally voice with a chill that made him almost fall to his knees. It was the one-the only-the infamous Mame. And she was still wearing that pearl panther coat and scarlet scarf.

"Who…are you?" Goomessa muttered confusedly. "Do I know you?"

"Of course not!" Mame laughed. "But we know you! You're, like, famous, and stuff! I can't believe you're actually here and it's so exciting to see you here and I was wondering if you could, like, make something or something like that and-"

"Would you shut up?" Goomessa shouted. Even in this time, she was brutal-and hated Mame's annoying guts. "As you can see, _person-I-don't-know_, I'm on an important…business trip, yeah let's go with that."

"_You're on a business trip? Omigosh omigosh omigosh!_" Mame cried happily. "Can I come with you? That would be so amazing I would die!"

"Please?" Goomessa pleaded sarcastically. "You just can't come, I'm sorry…I mean, I guess it would be okay, but this is very important."

Mame laughed for a few seconds. Goomessa sighed. But then suddenly Mame's eyes widened and she stared at the Goombette for a few seconds before nodding. Mario was confused; she had suddenly assumed a clam, collected expression. "Of course," she mumbled. "I'm very sorry for troubling you. I have a…never mind. Is there any place in particular you need to go?"

For a moment, Mario was too shocked to answer. "Well, it's actually a bit complicated. We were informed that the residents of Gillisville were forced to evacuate and came here. Could you direct us to their new location?"

"Oh, that's simple," Mame replied. "Take a left from here, and then just go straight for a few minutes. You'll find it eventually. It's called Lori Mental Center."

"Lori Mental-wait, mental center?" Mario asked. "Why are they staying at a mental hospital?"

"Oh, you'll find out," Mame promised. "I'm pretty sure, anyway. Just look around."

"Are they okay?" Goomessa asked uninterestedly.

"Well, I'm sure they've been better, all said," Mame sighed. It was such a strange idea to see Mame, loud, spontaneous, and slightly dotty, suddenly become an elegant lady without a trace of what Mario had come to know Mame as. "But then, I haven't been there in a while. They could be recovering. For all I know, they could be out of this city already."

"Well, thank you for the directions," Mario chuckled nervously as he and Goomessa walked away where Mame had told them. Mario's head was still spinning from the conversation the two had just had. _Hollywood,_ he thought. _It gets weirder every day._

But then again, it _had_ been fifteen years.

As the two walked on, Mario looked around to see what kinds of places were here. He hadn't had a lot of time to explore the last time he had been here. So why not now, he decided. The places were a lot like one would see at a regular town, but at the same time it was easy to tell that they were in Ritzeltown because the places looked a lot more expensive.

After a few minutes, the pair arrived at a large white building reading-just as Mame had said-Lori Mental Center, in large silver lettering.

"Well," Mario said, taking a deep breath, "let's go in."

He pushed past the red French doors into the establishment. It was very ornately tiled, and it gave the aura of a place where somebody who wanted the place to stay extremely clean lived. Mario was almost afraid to take a step for fear he would get dirt on the floor and be in trouble.

But nobody seemed to notice. So he just walked normally over to the counter across from the entrance. "Hello?" he said to get the attention of the Yoshi behind it. He looked up.

"Good evening, and welcome to Lori Mental Center. Do you have an appointment?" he asked, twirling a pen in his hand.

"Actually, no," Mario replied. "We're here to see someone."

"Then you'll have to go into the waiting room," the Yoshi told him, looking back down.

"No, sir, this is important," Mario insisted. "There's someone we have to find right now. Specifically the former residents of Gillisville?"

The Yoshi sighed exaggeratedly and spoke into a microphone Mario hadn't noticed before. He was speaking so quietly that Mario couldn't understand him, but presently he looked back at Mario. "A nurse will be here shortly, sir."

Mario nodded and went to sit down, but he was interrupted by a voice suddenly calling, "Hey! Tuxedo guy! Over here!"

So the Yoshi had meant it when he'd said a nurse would be there shortly. The nurse led the party through many white halls before stopping at a large door with a gold handle. "Right in here," she told them.

Mario walked in cautiously and observed the room he was in. The carpet was a simple dark green, while the walls and ceiling were cream-colored. Mario shrugged and continued walking until he came to a sharp turn. The next section of the room looked a lot the same as the first, but this part had two people in it-a Toad with glasses and a notepad, and a Koopa with an unmistakably neon purple shell. The former was sitting in a chair, writing some words down, and the latter was lying on a maroon couch.

"Koopetto!" Mario called excitedly. "We found you!"

Koopetto sat up and looked at his visitors. "Oh…it's you," he murmured distantly. "Duss, it's him. Duss, look!"

Duss T. didn't even look at him. "Oh, that's great, Koopetto."

"What's going on?" Goomessa demanded.

Koopetto suddenly stood up with a twinkle in his eyes. Looking at Duss T., he tackled him, wrestling the pen out of the Toad's hands. Koopetto looked back at Mario.

_Oh no,_ Mario thought,_ he's nuts._

The Koopa began to run at him, brandishing the pen in front of him. Koopetto was actually going to stab him. Mario felt numb, and everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. He balled his fists, but he honestly didn't want to hurt Koopetto.

_Yes, great thing to think when he's about to tear your guts out with a _fountain pen_,_ nagged a voice in the back of his head.

His mind was a jumble of contradictions. He didn't want to hurt his partner, but he didn't fancy mortal pain. And he was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to avoid being stabbed if he didn't do anything; the room was quite narrow with not a lot of running space.

But he was luckily saved from having to hurt his former partner anyway. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Goomessa about to land on Koopetto headfirst. The Koopa stared up at her, confused, and tried to dodge her attack, but he was still hit. Duss T. got up and ran to restrain Koopetto.

"What is _wrong_ with him?" Mario cried when he could finally speak.

"Everything," the Toad replied as Koopetto began to settle down. "I don't even want to know what possessed you to come in here."

"Well, I thought we needed him to come with us, but I see now that that isn't really a possibility."

"No, please!" the Toad pleaded. "I mean…he could use some fresh air…"

"Not much of a doctor, are you?" Goomessa snorted.

"Of course not!" Duss T. whined. "I used to be a police officer, but they needed psychiatrists, and since my last name is Alietta, I was one of the first on the list. It's horrible, you know."

"Well, thank you for letting us take Koopetto," Mario said uncertainly. "Come on, Koopetto, I want you to come with us."

"No," Koopetto refused stubbornly. "You didn't come to-"

"Now!" Goomessa screamed. Koopetto jumped and scrambled to join the two. "That's better," the Goombette laughed.

"But why do I have to go with you? All I know about you is that you're that dude who we got a prophecy thing about. And you were _supposed_ to save Gillisville from the bad guy," Koopetto muttered.

"Well, I'm sorry I didn't get around to it," Mario said sarcastically. "I was taking a nap."

"But that doesn't answer my first question," Koopetto complained. "Why am I even going with you to…where, exactly?"

And Mario explained the ever-annoying story of the Cloud Fragments and how Kat and Violon had changed time. Koopetto looked altogether amazed but confused at some points.

"I guess that's okay," he said warily. "I'll come along. But there better not be anything crazy along the way."

"I can't promise that at all," Mario chuckled, turning to leave. Biting his lip, Koopetto followed.

"You know, he's kinda cute," Goomessa whispered to Mario as the walked out of the room the way they came. Mario sighed.

But afterwards, he thought for a moment. While he was still recovering from the shock of being thrown to another time period, in the most imperfect of worlds, it seemed like everything was slowly going back to normal.

**:::::**

**Well, there you go. I'm finally finished with this part. Sorry it's not one of my longer parts.**

**So what did you think? Tell me please.**

**See ya!**


	43. SchoolTime: Part XI

**HEY PEOPLE. It's me, Fredperson. Why? Because Fredperson is funny to say. Blah, blah, blah, I don't own Mario, you know the drill. Now, if you'll kindly oblige, LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD.**

**:::::**

Outside the hospital, the party all looked around. Mario had almost forgotten exactly where they were supposed to be going. After a few moments he remembered why they were here, and immediately after he suddenly became weak in the knees. Snow was going to be as impossible as ever, and fifteen more years on her wasn't going to help at all.

Then he suddenly wondered: she was going to be thirty now. _Why would she still be a singer?_ He thought. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he beckoned for Goomessa and Koopetto to follow him as they went back the way they had come.

"Why are we going this way, Mario?" Goomessa asked.

"We need to talk to Mame again," Mario explained.

"Who?"

Mario remembered again that the Goombette wouldn't know Mame in this time period. "Mame is the freaky Koopa lady," Mario told her. Goomessa nodded.

"Why do we need to see her?" she then asked after a few moments.

"To find the Central Music Hall," Mario sighed.

"But why do we need to-" Goomessa began.

"Hey, Goomessa," Mario cut her off. "Here's an idea: shut up."

The Goombette was silent. Feeling guilty, Mario conceded. "We need to go to the Central Music Hall so we can meet our next friend. Understand?"

"Sure," Goomessa answered briefly.

They soon found Mame again, sitting on the ground with her arms crossed and staring at the ground. She looked up at their approach. "Oh, it's _you_ again," she laughed with a touch of scorn in her voice. "What do you need?"

"We need directions to the Central Music Hall," Mario told her, reaching a hand out to help her up. Mame stared at him.

"Well, if you just go left from here, and then turn right…let's see, and then straight to the next left, two rights, and it should be there. I could be wrong though. You might want to ask-never mind."

"What were you going to say?" Mario asked her suspiciously.

"Nothing, really, it's nothing, I just have…" Mame trailed off, looking suddenly dazed and distant. "I have to see my-good night…" she stammered, turning and running off.

"Mame! Come-eh, forget it," Mario cut himself off.

"What is with her?" Koopetto asked nervously.

"I was about to say the same thing," Mario said quietly. "But we have the directions we need, so we should go."

So the party started off to the hall where Mame had directed them. Along the way, Goomessa kept insisting that Mario tell her why they were going there. Mario kept lightly skipping around the issue of Snow being their next partner. He wanted it to be a surprise.

So when the gang finally reached the hall, what happened was not at all what he had expected. There was a large crowd congregated around the doors of the hall. Mario was confused. "Excuse me, what's going on here?" he asked to a random person close to the party.

"The concert just ended," the person replied before turning back around.

Mario sighed. Now they'd never be able to find Snow. _We'll have to wait until tomorrow,_ he decided.

But his thoughts were interrupted when he heard the clanking of a stepstool against the ground. He looked up to see Snow herself stepping up so she could be seen be everyone. Mario blinked at least fifteen times. She looked exactly as she had when the party had first met her. She had dyed her hair white again. She was also wearing a pink ring around her neck with a red lace hanging on the side, which she fiddled with as she accepted pictures and affection from her fans. "Whoa…" he whispered. "There she is," he said quietly to his partners.

But he snapped back to reality when Goomessa suddenly cried, "What! That's her? How?"

"But we'll never be able to get her attention," Mario sighed.

"I know how," Goomessa told him. She sounded almost angry. Mario stood there, confused, as the Goombette stormed up, pushing through the crowd, towards Snow. He then hastily followed her, worried about why she could be agitated and vaguely aware that Koopetto was coming too.

Snow was turned so that she could not see Goomessa. The latter jumped up and bit on the edge of the lace on the former's neck. Mario noticed that the ring was like a belt-as you pulled the lace, the ring closed. He suddenly realized what Goomessa was doing as the ring tightened around Snow's neck, choking her and pulling her off the stepstool.

What could only have been described as a deafening silence ensued throughout the crowd. Mario, stared, horrified, at Goomessa and Snow. Looking at Koopetto, he discovered that his partner wore the exact same expression. Some people in the crowd began to take pictures again. Snow blinked a few times before holding a hand up, telling them to stop. "WHAT WAS THAT?" she suddenly shrieked rabidly, ripping the ring off her neck, hopping back to her feet, and looking around for the culprit with a glare on her face. Her gaze suddenly stopped on Goomessa, who still held the lace in her mouth.

"Snow T. Oracle," Goomessa muttered.

"Goomessa Finch," Snow whispered threateningly.

There was a collective "Ooh!" that resonated through the crowd.

"Goomessa, what was that all about? Why did you try to kill her?" Mario cried. "I'm just going to take a guess and say you two don't like each other…but why? I mean…what's going on? I thought you would love-"

"We have a history," Goomessa answered, meeting Snow's glare. "It started with some press mishap that she decided to use as a way to pretend to get angry with me, and it's gone downhill from there."

"Leave it to Miss Quack Quack to make it _my_ fault," Snow laughed. Then she looked back at Mario. "And, like, I don't mean to be impolite in any way, sir…but who the heck are you?"

"Yeah, _real_ polite," Goomessa chuckled sarcastically. Mario silenced her with a stern look and looked back at Snow.

"If you want to know who I am, then all your fans will have to leave," he explained. "I know it seems rude, but this is really important."

"Okay, like, _not_ happening," Snow answered angrily. "I don't know you guys, and what if-"

"Do it now!" Goomessa shouted. Snow winced.

"Fine," she conceded after a few moments. Then addressing the crowd, she continued. "I'm sorry people, and I've had a great time here, but I need to be alone for a while. I know it's sad, but please?"

Amongst quite a few growls and grumbles, her fans eventually dispersed. Snow wheeled around and glared at Mario. "Talk," she commanded.

"Okay, that's one thing," Mario told her, annoyed. "You can't just tell people what to do and think they'll obey you like little rats."

"Oh yes they will," Snow said matter-of-factly. "Because my dad has a silver mine and people who don't do what I say get to go there and never come out." Snow suddenly assumed a wide-eyed expression with a long grin.

"Snow!" Mario shouted. The Toadette snapped back to attention. "_Anyway_…I have to tell you a long story, and I really need you to listen."

"Uh, yeah. Like, no promises," Snow answered, filing her fingernails. "Whenever you're ready, moustache."

"Hate. Her," Goomessa whispered in Mario's ear. He glared at her again and she remained quiet as Mario began to tell Snow of the whole party's trials prior to and following Kat's switch in time. She seemed slightly interested through most of it, especially when Mario mentioned her ability to create fire and ice by singing. She even tried it out, gaining the awe of Goomessa and Koopetto.

"That's such a cool story," Snow giggled when he was finished. "I'm glad we don't have to go back to Lucifer's Isle, though, because that place is really dangerous at this point. Something like five years ago, some health freaks closed off the island for 'renovations'. But honestly I don't think they'll ever get done. That _was_ an awesome story, though."

"Although…" Mario said, mostly to himself, "I wonder what it would have been like to see Levi."

Snow had heard him, however. In a sudden change of attitude, she sank to the ground and began to weep softly.

"What's wrong?" Mario asked, worried.

"Levi…I haven't thought about her in years," Snow wailed.

"What about her?" Mario persisted, confused.

"She hasn't talked to me in ten years," Snow told him. "I don't know how, but I guess I was never very nice to her. And now she hates me. It's not even fair. It's like she's waiting for me to apologize, but I could never face her, knowing that I'm just a jerk who…"

Mario tried to look sympathetic but wasn't sure if he was doing a good job. "Is that how everyone sees me?" Snow continued. "A jerk who gets everything she wants?"

"Took you that long?" Goomessa asked.

"I can do without the sarcasm," Snow sobbed. "I just never thought about it, and now that you mention my sister, I guess I've figured out why Daddy and Mother are always away."

"_Always_ away?" Mario repeated.

"Levi raised me," Snow continued. "Actually, I kinda raised myself, because I never wanted Levi to. "Our parents were always either at meetings or business trips or at friends' houses in Paris and London and Bombay and India and Cairo…"

"Makes it a lot easier to feel sorry for you," Koopetto said expressionlessly.

"I just think it's cool that you're still singing," Mario voiced his thoughts from before. "Fifteen years down the road, I thought you might be on something else by now."

"Oh, she was," Goomessa laughed. "She was never able to hold on to anything."

"She's right," Snow sighed. "I gave up singing when I was nineteen to be an artist. But that wasn't much fun, and I wasn't very good anyway, so after two years, I went to law school…for, like, a year…And when I was twenty-two, I became a movie producer. After five years of that, I went back into music, and here I am."

"You've led a sad life, Snow," Mario commented sadly.

"Hey! That's-well, yeah," Snow agreed miserably.

"Who is this Levi person anyway?" Koopetto asked.

"She's…well, she's…I don't remember much about her," Snow admitted. "But Harriet does."

"Her name is Louisa," Mario reminded.

"You really are from a different time period!" Snow cried. "I keep thinking you're psychic or something!"

"I guess we should go then," Koopetto suggested.

"Good idea," Mario agreed. "Hey, does anyone know what time it is?"

"Six thirty," Snow replied, checking a diamond watch on her arm. "Why?"

"We need to get to Ferris Airlines," Mario explained. Snow looked disgustedly at him.

"I hate Ferris Airlines," she told him. "There's this freaky old Goomba who sleeps all the time. He weirds me out."

"Sorry," Mario said unsympathetically, "but we have to go to Ferris Sands."

"Well, I guess it's okay then." Snow shrugged as the party began to make the trek back to the pipe to Paratonis.

**:::::**

Back out of Ritzeltown, the gang started off towards what they thought might be Ferris Airlines until Mario remembered that he still had a map. Telling his partners to hold on for a second, he pulled the paper out and looked it over. Near the middle of the map was a little airplane symbol, next to which read "Ferris Airlines".

The party started off in the direction of the symbol from where they were currently standing at a community swimming pool. After about twenty minutes, they reached the large airport. Snow bought them first-class tickets and they got on the plane just as it was about to leave.

_We're more than halfway to being back to normal,_ Mario thought, relieved. Then, seeing Goomessa and Snow glaring daggers at each other, and Koopetto with a bored look on his face staring out the window, he added to himself: _Normal, of course, being a relative term._

**:::::**

**That's it for today, folks. Sorry I made you wait so long for such a short part, but I've got writer's block, and I expanded this part too much as it is. I hope that's okay, though. I promise, we'll get back to normal wait times and normal-sized parts eventually.**

**So tell me what you thought, please, and…**

**See ya!**


	44. SchoolTime: Part XII

**Wow, it's another day and I'm still breathing! Hey, it's me, Freddy, and it's time for another riveting (using made-up-frick-what-wad words like "riveting", and "apoplectic", and "insightful", what the what?) installment of Paper Mario: the Legend of the Clouds.**

**And the crowd goes wild.**

**Moo.**

**Anyway, I don't own Mario or any of that stuff, so let's get started.**

**:::::**

Mario had quite forgotten just how long it took the plane to get from Paratonis to Ferris Sands. When he looked at the clock again, he discovered it was eight o' clock. Snow was the only one of his partners still awake. One seat behind Koopetto, who was directly across the aisle from Mario, she was busy tapping the arms of her chairs. He couldn't help wondering what she was tapping to.

Suddenly he itched to get off the plane so the gang could find Fluzz and leave back to Sadiel. There they would (hopefully, as essentially the entire time the crew had been searching for their former friends, they had been betting on luck that they were actually there) find Wishes again, and afterwards they could go back to Sadiel's Mill and find Kat and Violon.

Thinking about the girls again made him sick and angry. They were like itches you couldn't get rid of. They wouldn't keep fighting in whatever pathetic, persistent way that they could if it killed them.

But he'd have his second chance at them soon. As soon as he thought of this, however, he remembered one important factor that could well count towards his ability to defeat the girls this time: he was forty-three now. That would not bode well with his fighting. He _had_ beaten Red Shines without breaking a sweat, but Shines was a bug compared to Kat and Violon.

_You're being ridiculous,_ he told himself. _Of course you can beat them. They're nothing against you._

He decided he was right and stopped thinking about the girls. What he really needed, he figured, was some sleep. Looking back at Snow, he discovered she was dropping off as well.

**:::::**

When he woke up, Mario blinked the sleep out of his eyes. The clock read 8:40. Looking out the window, however, he could see the ground very near below them. He estimated it only being around 800 feet between the plane and the ground.

He also noticed that it looked nothing like a desert. In fact, it looked mostly pale blue.

"Good morning, passengers," called a voice over the intercom. Mario recognized it immediately. It was Jovi, the flight attendant the gang had heard and seen the last time Mario had been on Ferris Airlines. "We will be landing shortly. I do hope you enjoyed your flying experience on our new and improved _Jolt_ model airplane, designed to fly twice as quickly as normal. We will be landing soon at our first stop, Sorrel City. Please be patient until we land."

Mario definitely hadn't remembered there being a pit stop during the flight to Ferris sands. Maybe it had been recently added. Presently, the plane hit the ground with a screeching stop. Looking out the window, he could see short red skid marks on the ground.

"Thank you for your patience, passengers," Jovi said over the intercom. Steadying himself, Mario looked up and saw the gray Bob-bomb walk in from the engineer's room. "All those who would like to take a trip to Sorrel City, please leave the plane at this time. We will require a half-hour layover while we switch planes."

Mario sighed; two hours would be a long time. But the party could make the make the most of it by stocking up on items and resting for a while. Besides, this Sorrel City place sounded interesting.

As the party exited the plane into the airport, Mario was surprised at what he saw. Most of the people in the airport were wearing the same clothing-gray rags for shirt and pants, and gray sneakers. They also all looked particularly put-upon. Mario blinked a few times, but kept walking through the airport. He was uncomfortably aware of many pairs of eyes staring at him from all directions. He turned his head and discovered his partners were having the same problem. He began to walk faster, followed closely be his friends.

As soon as the gang left the airport, Mario was shocked at what he saw. It hadn't been blue he had been seeing-it was gray. _Everything_ in Sorrel City was gray. "What is with this place?" he thought aloud.

Snow bit her lip. "Ask somebody. They'll tell you."

Mario narrowed his eyes at her. "Do _you_ know why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Okay, yes," Snow sighed. "This place-oh no. Get down!"

She had suddenly looked up, and her face assumed an expression of horror. Mario turned to see something he didn't see often. It was a Duplighost. He had fought one of these before, and now he had a bit of an adversity to them. He furrowed his brows as the ghost spotted the gang and rushed over. Mario was amused to see that this ghost's sheet was rainbow-colored. "I said get down!" Snow whispered loudly, though she was the only one who had followed her own advice.

"Hello there!" the Duplighost greeted them in a loud, jovial voice. "I am the Dental Assistant!"

Snow groaned. "Don't say _anything_," she warned the others.

"I am here to give you a fantastic deal!" the Dental Assistant continued, pulling out some dentist's tools. "I will clean all of your smiles for only sixty coins! Can you get much better than that? I mean, come on."

"Why can't I say anything?" Mario whispered to Snow.

"Because I don't think you want to tick off the person who wants to put sharp metal objects in your mouth," Snow answered quietly. "Just let him clean our teeth, pay the money, and we can leave."

Mario frowned. "Okay, I'll take your deal, but could you-"

"There you are, Hane!" called another voice from a few yards away. Mario blinked a few times and looked towards the direction the voice had come from to see yet another stranger. It was a Boo with an odd appearance. Unlike most Boos, this one was cream-colored and his very large eyes. He sported a yellow fedora with a pink band around the bottom of the crown. There was also a small shamrock strapped to the hat by the band. He floated slowly toward the Dental Assistant.

"Hane, were you trying to clean someone's teeth again?" he asked accusingly.

"Well, it's fun!" "Hane" replied defensively.

"I'm terribly sorry for Hane's behavior," the Boo apologized to the gang. "My name is Jazz. It's nice to meet you."

Mario reached out his hand, and then remembered he was trying to shake hands with a ghost. "My name is Mario," he explained awkwardly. "It's quite a pleasure to-"

"I assume you are also aristocrats?" Jazz asked.

"Well, not exactly," Mario answered. "Two of us, maybe, but-"

"Oh!" Jazz laughed. "You must not be from here. Here, we always assume anyone who doesn't wear gray is an aristocrat."

"That's one thing I wanted to say," Mario told him. "Why is it that-"

"Oh, I _should_ explain that to you, shouldn't I?" Jazz interrupted. "You'd be confused if I didn't, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, I would," Mario answered. "But I've only got thirty minutes, so if-"

"Oh, sure, I won't be that long," Jazz cut him off. "Let me explain the whole thing. Sorrel is an empire. We have a big ruler. It's kind of sad, because he's really rude and assertive. And one of his rules is that anyone who can't afford pay a certain fine every month to the government has to give up all of their luxuries, which includes good clothing."

"That sounds horrible!" Goomessa cried. "That ruler guy…what's his-"

"His name is Dolas," Jazz interrupted. "He has a second-in-command person, too. Her name is Trudy."

"Dolas? Trudy? Really?" Mario chuckled. "Huh, that's kind of-"

"This is not something we laugh about," Jazz scolded him. "This is an oppressive empire we're talking about."

"You're an aristocrat, you don't get an opinion," Snow snapped. "And I'm sure-"

"Hey, you're an aristocrat too," Jazz reminded her.

"And stop it with the incessant interrupting!" Koopetto shouted.

Jazz stared at him, confusion and shock on his face. "Well, I guess Hane and I should get going," he told them quietly, sounding thoroughly embarrassed. "We have a meeting to go to."

"No we-"

"Shut up, Hane," Jazz cut him off, whacking the ghost with his hat.

"Wait, Jazz," Mario requested, noting that since the gang wouldn't be able to gather supplies with such little time anyway, he might as well thank their "guide". "Thanks for telling us about this place. It's actually very interesting."

"Well, thank _you_," Jazz said.

"By the way…" Mario folded his arms. "How do you two know each other anyway?"

"He actually used to be my dentist," Jazz explained, "but now he doesn't do dental work anymore. We're just buds now."

"Why'd he stop being a dentist?"

"He was fired," Jazz told him. "He could never actually get his work done right."

Mario put his hand to his mouth that had almost been attacked by the Duplighost. He liked his teeth.

And he didn't take his hand off his mouth until the party was safely back on the plane.

**:::::**

When Mario woke up again, it wasn't of his own accord. Once again, the plane suddenly came to a very abrupt (and very loud) halt. Mario flew out of his seat and crashed into the one in front of him. Once he was quite sure which direction was up, he stood and reoriented himself.

"We're sorry about any injury that may have been caused by our landing," Jovi called again over the intercom. "The _Jolt_ model airplane is very fast, but this ensures a quickened landing. Please forgive us.

"We have now reached Ferris Sands, however, so those passengers who wish to exit to the Sands, please leave the plane now. Those bound for Ievan Heights, please stay on the plane. Have a nice day."

Mario found it refreshing not to have to bite back a "don't tell me what to do" this time.

Outside the plane, the gang stretched and yawned, with the exception of Snow, who was breathing heavily and hugging herself. Mario looked confusedly at her. "I don't think I have ever been so happy to be somewhere I didn't want to be in my whole life," she sputtered.

"Snow, Ferris Airlines is not that bad," Mario insisted.

"Yes, it is," Snow argued with a flare in her eyes. "I hate flying and I get claustrophobic…and I'm just not very fond of airplanes."

"Why not?"

"Because they fly and make me claustrophobic," Snow answered. "Duh."

The party began to advance into the desert, accompanied by a few of the other passengers, but before they could get a few steps, they were interrupted by another all-too-familiar voice exclaiming, "Wait up, folks! You don't want to miss Jeffy's dream tour!"

Mario turned towards the direction of the voice and almost shrieked. Mario had noticed that the fifteen years he had been absent had been good for some people and places, and very rough for others. To say that the years had thrown Geoffrey into a garbage dumb a few times, spit on his shoes, and called him ugly was an understatement. The Koopa now wore broken pilot goggles, an official-looking but worn "explorer's" suit, and a blue feathered sun hat. Geoffrey himself was very heavily wrinkled, and for some reason Mario could see that he was blinking a lot. His fingers also twitched, although Mario wasn't sure if he was aware of it.

Goomessa, Koopetto, and Snow backed away several steps. Mario sighed and turned to approach Geoffrey, along with his reluctant partners and the other passengers. "My name is Geoffrey Carasfield," he explained, pivoting around on his heel and beginning to walk down a small dirt path separate from the sand around them. He walked with an odd stiff bounce that made him look almost like he had a limp on both legs. As the group advanced, he spoke to them, though it proved very irritating to listen to as his bouncy gait made for a bouncy voice.

It seemed to take forever to get to Tique for the second time, as the party had to listen to Geoffrey drone on and on about Tique (the Koopa would brutally slap in the face anyone who he caught covering their ears). It was also much colder this time, which one might think would have been nice in a desert, but it actually caused the temperature to drop to around ten degrees.

When the tour group finally reached Tique, Mario was surprised at what they saw. The town quite resembled The Gardens of Babylon. Everything was either blue, green, or gold. Besides the sand, there were many trees (though most of them were aspens and birches with golden-painted trunks), an irrigation stream, and aside from the many houses dotting the place, a very large hotel. Mario smiled as he saw the name at the base: The Crypt de Fleur.

"Okay!" Geoffrey exclaimed excitedly. "I'm going to give everyone until 11:30 before we leave for the ruins. I'm sure you can't wait…Now run along now."

As he was finishing his order and the group was beginning to disperse, Mario saw someone coming up behind him. He immediately recognized the green Fuzzy as his former partner, but he was wearing a very formal tuxedo this time. "Good morning, Jeffy," he acknowledged the tour guide. "A little early today, I see. Very nice, very nice."

"Don't mention it, Fluzz," Geoffrey assured him. "I'm sure some of my group will be checking in to your hotel."

"Wait, _his_ hotel?" Mario repeated.

"Yes, in fact, yes," Fluzz answered. "I own the Crypt de Fleur. But I thought everyone knew that."

Mario was surprised again at just how much things could change. "Fluzz, we have to ask you something," he explained.

"Well, if you do, then you'll have to follow me to the hotel, yes you will," Fluzz told him. "Please, come with me."

Mario shrugged and followed Fluzz, accompanied by his partners, the short distance to the hotel. As they approached, Mario discovered that a soundtrack was blasting a song to the entirety of Tique.

"Why on Earth are you playing The Entertainer in this place?" Mario asked.

"Because ragtime jazz music promotes a calm and soothing air," Fluzz told him arrogantly. "Plus, I like the song, yes I do."

Mario blinked a few times before the gang finally entered the hotel. Fluzz turned on the party. "So what do you need to ask me?"

"Well, Fluzz it's just something we want you to do…" Mario explained awkwardly. "We need you to leave Tique with us."

"Ha! Preposterous," Fluzz laughed. "If I must elucidate this to you again, I own a very auspicious auberge, very successful. I don't think I'll be relinquishing my manager's spot."

Everybody stared at him. "Okay, I counted four words I couldn't understand," Goomessa whispered.

"I counted five," Snow whispered back.

"Please, Fluzz, this is important," Mario insisted. "What if…Let me tell you why this is so important."

Fluzz sighed. "Fine, just be quick about it," he ordered.

And so for what seemed like the hundredth time but was really only the ninth, Mario told Fluzz the entire story of the Cloud Fragments and everything that had happened to the party. By the time he had finished, Mario was sure Fluzz was interested because his expression had brightened from exhausting to dull.

"Well, that _is_ an interesting story," he mused. "I suppose I could have my assistant Kallen take over while I'm gone. So…let's be off, shall we? Or must we stay here longer?"

"Aren't you going to tell Kallen you need her to take over?" Mario asked confusedly.

"And why would I do that?"

Well, because-oh, forget it," Mario cut himself off. "Let's just-oh, wait."

"What's wrong?" Snow asked.

"Remember, the plane only leaves at seven in the morning," Mario told them. "So that means we'll have to wait here until then. Does anyone know what time it is?"

"Twelve noon," Snow replied. "But how are we going to spend the next…nineteen hours here? It's cool-looking and all, but there's not much to do."

"We can all rest at the Crypt," Fluzz suggested. "You all look rather tired."

"Sure, that sounds nice," Mario agreed. "Let's go, guys."

And so the party checked into the hotel and went to rest in their room. _We have a long, ugly, insane-little-girl filled day ahead of us,_ Mario thought.

**:::::**

**Okay, that's all, guys! Thanks for reading!**

**Tell me what you thought and...**

**See ya!**


	45. SchoolTime: Part XIII

**Hey, everybody! It's me, Freddy. Thanks again for reading this far in my story. You guys are AWESOME.**

**I don't own Mario or anything like that, so you can't sue me for nuffin…**

**And let's get started.**

**:::::**

"Well, that's one heck of an opinion!" This was the first thing Mario heard as he woke up from a deep, relaxing sleep. He would soon wish he hadn't woken up.

He then heard a snide chuckle. Something fell off a table and then crashed. It sounded disturbingly like glass.

"What's going on?" the plumber cried, hopping to his feet and looking around cautiously. "What happened.

"Well…" Goomessa trailed off sheepishly. "Snow told me to get her a cup of coffee, and I told her to get off her lazy butt and get 'er own coffee and that I wasn't her maid. And then she said I might as well have been because I was so stupid. And then I told her I would come over there and give her a piece of my mind if she didn't shut her mouth, and then she said she didn't like to be given things that had nothing in them. So I said you think my mind has nothing in it? And she said it's a proven fact. And I said no it's an opinion. And she said no your stupidness is a fact, your ugliness is my opinion. And I said well that's one heck of an opinion and she laughed and I ran over but I broke that vase over there and then you got up and asked what was wrong and then I-"

"Goomessa, I'm caught up," Mario told her. "Please, girls, could we not have a big fight? We have to stay together, and we're never going to do that with all this falling out."

"But she's horrible!" Snow and Goomessa protested. Mario put a hand up with his fingers on his thumb to signal for quiet.

"Now…" he said slowly, sighing afterwards. "Snow, what time is it?"

"6:47," Snow replied, checking her watch.

"We should get going," Mario decided. "Goomessa, start waking the others up. Snow, those tickets you bought are two-way, right? We can get back to Paratonis with them?"

"_I know_ what two-way means," Snow told him, "and yes, they are."

"Do we really have to get up now?" Koopetto whined from across the room. Mario spun around and saw Goomessa waddling over to Fluzz's bed.

"That was fast," Mario remarked. Goomessa quickly woke Fluzz, who had the same reaction as Koopetto, but Mario reminded them that it was best to get back to their other time period as soon as possible. "Now that everyone is awake," he continued, walking over and opening the door, "we should get going fast, because the plane is going to leave soon. We only have about ten minutes…let's run."

As the gang raced out of the hotel, Snow suddenly started whispering to herself, "That's a cool idea for a song…I know what two-way means…ha."

**:::::**

The plane was getting ready to take off as soon as the party was being seated. Mario heaved a sigh of relief. A very faint light entered the window and slightly warmed the gang, but it was still quite cold inside the plane. Mario really didn't want to wait while the plane stops at some two other places he didn't need to be at, but there wasn't much he could do unless the party wanted to walk back to Paratonis. At least it would only take half as long, he figured. Soon the party would be complete again and they'd be able to fight Kat and Violon once more. Mario was feeling more and more confident that the girls would go down this time.

Mario looked across the aisle at his partners. Goomessa was reading the various signs around the large room with precautionary statements on them-things like "Do Not Attempt to Open Window", "Obey Warnings and Directions of Pilot and Flight Attendants", and so on and so forth. Koopetto continued to stare out the window with an unexplainable expression on his face. Snow was rocking back and forth slowly and biting her nails. Finally, Fluzz was sitting tall in his seat with a prideful gleam in his eyes. The plane glided at a moderate speed, producing a soft buzz from the airplane engines.

The pilot's door opened. Mario looked up to see the only person he would have expected: Jovi. She beamed at everyone (although of course it was purely an assumption that she was beaming, for of course she had no mouth) and continued through the aisle. "Hello," she said to everyone she passed. When she got to the party, she narrowed her eyes slightly. "You've been on and off here many times now," she remarked, though not unkindly. "Thank you for your patronage. Where, if I may ask, are you going?"

"To Paratonis," Mario answered. "We want to get to Sadiel."

"I love Sadiel," Jovi said dreamily. "But if it isn't cold, I don't know what is."

"Indeed…" Mario answered. "We're actually looking for someone there. If it's okay for me to be asking, just how many trips does this plane make before it gets back to Paratonis?"

"Just two more," Jovi replied. "Ievan Heights, which we should be coming up on in about forty minutes. Then it will be about another half an hour until we reach Solo Springs, and then one more half-hour to Paratonis. That sums up to an hour and forty minutes' wait. I hope that is okay."

"Oh, that's fine," Mario assured her. Jovi nodded and finished walking down the hall to the other door. The plane, while filled with luxuries, was frankly rather dreary when one was not talking to anyone or doing anything. Mario looked over and discovered that all of his partners except Snow were already fallen asleep.

"I wish planes didn't fly so fast and fidgety," she complained.

"Snow, it _isn't_ fast or fidgety," Mario argued. "I really don't see why you hate air travel so much. I mean, besides that it's a bit boring."

"I'm extremely sensitive to motion," Snow told him. "Besides, flying is for birds, bugs, and people with superpowers."

"I had superpowers," Koopetto put in suddenly, "but my psychiatrist took them away."

Mario and Snow stared at him. "I was _just_ beginning to get used to you," Snow muttered.

"When did you wake up anyway?" Mario asked confusedly.

"I am a very light sleeper," Koopetto explained defensively. "And _you_…" he continued, turning towards Snow. "You don't have to be rude just because I'm a little bit…insensé upstairs. Crazy doesn't mean stupid, you know."

"Oh my gosh, Koopetto, you don't have to get all worked up about it," Snow said angrily. "Jeez."

"Okay, you two, break it up, please," Mario ordered. "I know this plane is making us stir crazy, but in about thirty-five minutes or something we'll be able to get out and breathe the fresh air again."

"Okay, you're right," Koopetto conceded.

"Kay-kay," Snow grumbled. "But I really wish this plane had headphones or something like that so I could listen to music without waking anyone up."

"You could probably ask for them," Mario offered. "Use that speaker above you."

Snow called into the speaker. Jovi arrived immediately. "You called, miss?" she asked. Snow nodded.

"May I have a pair of headphones?" the Toadette murmured. Jovi blinked a few times.

"Yes, of course," she replied, turning and walking back into the next room.

"What does insensé mean anyway?" Mario asked after the Bob-bomb had left.

"Insane," Koopetto answered.

"Ah."

**:::::**

"Good morning again, passengers," Jovi called over the intercom. Mario jolted awake from his state of being half-asleep and looked out the window. Only about a half of a mile below the plane at this point, Ievan Heights was beautiful. Mario described it in his mind as a forest with one half up high and the other half down lower. The cliffs ridged over softly, so that they appeared to be hills with the second half chopped off right after you began to walk down them. There was also a large, wide river that moseyed along slowly up to a waterfall that descended no more than fifty feet into an enormous lake with many trees surrounding it. Mario noticed that a small village resided very close to the edge of the cliff.

"The plane will be landing shortly," Jovi continued. "Please prepare for landing."

Mario braced himself for a few minutes until the plane hit the ground. The runway was on the higher part of the forest, and the village was very near. Jovi told everyone the plane would leave again soon for Solo Springs. Mario woke his partners again.

"Let's go outside for a few minutes," he suggested. His friends agreed. The party made their way outside and began to walk around. The air was very cool, if a bit sharp.

"I love the smell of pine," Goomessa commented. Mario nodded.

"Hey, Goomessa, do you know what that place over there is called?" he asked her after a few moments, pointing at the village that had caught his interest.

Goomessa scrutinized the small town. "I've learned the names of some places, but let's see if my memory isn't fail right now…" she trailed off. "I think that place is the namesake of these cliffs. It's called Ievan something. I know there's another part to the name, but I can't remember."

"That's fine," Mario assured her. "I just think this place is really refreshing. I could stay here-"

"I sure hope the plane doesn't leave without us," Koopetto interrupted him suddenly.

"Then we'll go back," Mario decided hastily, not wanting to wait for someone to argue and start another fight.

"Yes, let's be off then, let's be off," Fluzz agreed.

"Do you always have to repeat everything?" Snow demanded.

"Hey, don't be rude," Goomessa scolded her, although it was a bit laughable as she had to look up around two feet to meet Snow's eyes. "It's probably a speech pattern you get from living in Tique. Believe it or not, rich city girl, you have an accent too."

"So do you," Snow mocked. "You sound like some northeast hick."

"Hick?" Goomessa repeated, fire in her eyes. "Who do you think you are, the Queen of England?"

"I met the Queen of England once," Koopetto added. "My friends don't believe me, but I don't think I was dreaming that time."

"Stay out of this!" Snow shouted. "Nobody cares about you!"

"That was uncalled for, yes it was," Fluzz chided her.

"You're uncalled for!" Snow retorted.

"Someone should cut your lips off," Fluzz suggested furiously. "Yes they should."

"Someone should cut your _face_ off," Snow replied.

"Stop yanking on people's necks!" Goomessa yelled. "It doesn't make you any cooler."

"At least she's not yanking on our hair," Koopetto laughed. "Now _that_ would hurt."

"You, my friend, are annoying, yes you are," Fluzz told him.

"Shut up already!" Mario screamed. Everyone froze.

"This is not working!" the plumber continued. "You guys need to stop being so immature!"

His partners all looked at each other in a mixture of guilt and confusion.

"If this is what you guys are going to turn into in _my_ time period, then I don't know that I can handle the rest of this adventure with you guys," Mario explained.

He would have persisted, but Jovi's voice over the intercom stopped from doing so. "All passengers wishing to travel to Solo Springs or Paratonis, please board the plane in the next three minutes."

"Okay, considering we have three minutes to get on the plane or else wait for the next one, can we skip the big teary apology and get to the plane?" Goomessa asked. "I've never been good at those anyway."

Mario heaved a large sigh. "No," he answered. "I want _you two_-" he pointed at the Goombette and Snow, "to make up first."

"Why _us_?" Snow demanded.

"Because you two hate each other all the time," Mario replied. "All of you guys just hate each other sometimes."

"Fine," Goomessa gave in. "I'm sorry, Snow. Really, I am."

Snow hesitated before proposing, "Friends?"

"Sure," Goomessa answered, smiling.

"Now we should get to the airplane quick," Mario decided. The party ran back to the runway and made it just as the doors were closing.

**:::::**

Amidst two more screeching halts, the rest of the plane ride to Paratonis was quite pleasant. Once the party was off the airplane, Mario took a moment to remember where they were supposed to go next. "Okay…" he said quietly afterwards. "Does anyone know how to get to Sadiel?"

"Yes," Goomessa replied. "You go to this dentist's office-looking thing that's actually a pub, and-"

"Okay, I understand," Mario cut her off. "It hasn't moved. Thanks, Goomessa."

"No problem."

"Now we should go," Mario declared, pointing towards the already partly visible pub about a five-minute walk away. The party started off towards it and reached it shortly. _This merry-go-round is almost over,_ the plumber thought gratefully.

Inside the Starstrike Pub, Mario noticed it was much emptier than when the gang had been here before. Lucky for them-it wouldn't take as long to get to Sadiel this time. Mario quickly purchased their tickets and sat down with his partners to wait for permission to go to Sadiel. They were called after about twenty minutes. They entered the small pod and were quickly taken to the snowy region that contained the entrance gate to their last stop on the Find Kat and Violon Again Train.

Mario smiled comfortably; at least Sadiel remained the same as it had been before. Wishes still rested on a rock near the entrance, looking down at a binder filled with papers.

"Hello," Mario called, walking to the Star's side. Wishes looked up at him.

"Good evening, travelers," he replied in the same English accent he had used the first time they had met.

"You can drop the accent, Wishes," Mario told him, immediately wishing he hadn't said the Star's name.

"How do you know my name?" Wishes asked in a terrified voice. "Are you a stalker or something?"

"Of course not," Mario answered, trying to sound calm. "I have a perfectly good reason for knowing your name. See-"

"I don't want to hear it," Wishes interrupted him coldly. "Now if you'll kindly go away, I have a play to finish writing."

"You're a playwright?" Mario asked confusedly.

"No, I'm writing a play because I love to make barbecue sauce," Wishes said sarcastically. "Of course I'm a playwright."

"Really, Wishes, I need you to listen to this story," Mario insisted, dismissing the remark. "In short, I need you to come with me to Sadiel's Mill."

"Are you out of your mind?" Wishes demanded.

"Sort of," Mario countered mockingly.

"Why on this holy Earth would I go to Sadiel's Mill? Especially with stalker?" Wishes cried. "I have a goldfish and a collection of video cameras and a big blue cowboy hat and a refrigerator full of bottled soda. Why would I want to leave this place?"

"I can think of a few reasons," Goomessa muttered.

"Please just listen, Wishes," Mario pleaded. Without waiting for an answer, he began. "See, there's this place called Plathora…"

And he continued to explain again the story of the Cloud Fragments and the party's adventure so far. Wishes sneered and/or rolled his eyes throughout the story.

At the end of the performance, the visibly annoyed Star sighed. "I suppose I can't really argue with a story that stupid…" he decided. "So I guess I'll have to come with. Besides, what kind of fool would I be if you were somehow telling the truth and I didn't come and the world ended?"

Mario blinked furiously. "Can't beat _that_ logic, I guess," he agreed.

"Now let's just go to the mill and find those freakshows you keep mentioning," Wishes ordered. "It's not like they can beat us if we defeated them last time. Of course, I have no memory of-"

"Okay, let's leave!" Snow interrupted him, irritated.

"Yeah, they're waiting for us, so we gotta be fast, or else they'll come here for us," Koopetto agreed.

"Did you just make sense?" Snow asked him incredulously.

"Kumquat pickled walnuts," the Koopa cried suddenly, as though having just woken from a daydream.

"Of course not," Snow sighed.

**:::::**

**That's it, guys. Sorry I was gone so long, I was on vacation at my stepmom's. Tell me what you thought, please.**

**See ya!**


	46. SchoolTime: Part XIV

**Hey, everybody! It's Frederic Marile. But you knew that.**

**So since I don't own Mario, even though I **_**do**_** own an expensive glass Japanese diamond with a panther pattern on it…**

**LET IT BEGIN.**

**:::::**

After a few minutes of thinking, Mario decided it was in the party's best interest to keep traveling, no matter how tired they were. One by one, his partners agreed:

"I have no objections," Wishes answered brightly. "But then, I just had a nap, so…"

"You know, Mario _is_ right," Goomessa told the others. "We have to get that Cloud Fragment from Kat and Violon, right?"

"Well, you have a point," Fluzz acquiesced.

"Fine," Snow conceded exasperatedly.

Mario looked hopefully at Koopetto, who returned his gaze. "Wait, was I supposed to be listening?" the Koopa asked suddenly.

"I'll take that as a yes," Mario decided. "Now let's get going."

And with that, he turned toward the large mountain that kept Sadiel's Mill at the top. The rest of the group followed.

"One thing I'm wondering, Mario," Goomessa mused as the party neared the mountain. "You mentioned something about how Kat and Violon had used some box thing to stop us from getting in the front entrance last time. It might not happen this time, you think?"

Mario stopped to think. "You're probably right. Maybe we can use the front entrance instead of the top."

"That would be nice, because I really want to get out of this cold," Snow whined, shivering. Why couldn't Sadiel be in Venice?"

Koopetto stared at her. "Well, Venice is…Venice, and you can't put a town inside another-"

"I was speaking metaphorically!" Snow shouted.

"_Anyway,_" Mario continued, "if we go in the front entrance, we'll not only not have to climb to the top, we'll save some time. So if Kat and Violon don't make an entrance there, we'll be good."

"Are you just narrating what you're thinking at this point?" Wishes asked.

"Sure, why not," Mario answered, staring at the ground. "Now let's leave."

"He sounds weird sometimes," Goomessa muttered as the rest of the party followed him.

And up the mountain they went, hardly stopping to rest. Mario could feel the justice once Kat and Violon went down, wavering and just out of his grasp. If they just climbed a little farther, they would get there…

But it was not to be. As the party climbed up another ledge (some with each other's help), Mario spotted a short, brightly colored figure a few yards away. "What's that?" he asked himself.

"You know what, the cold is actually kind of refreshing," Goomessa admitted. "At least I'm not as tired anymore."

"S-speak for yourself, g-governor," Snow mumbled, shivering. "It's getting worse as we go up."

"Quiet for a second, guys," Mario ordered. "I think there's something up there. Follow me."

After everyone was at the top of the cliff, the party cautiously approached the figure.

"Well, look who _finally_ decided to show up!" an extremely angry female voiced called. "What took you, Mario? I've been freezing my eyes out up here!"

"That's not a real expression," Koopetto informed her.

"It is now!" she told him, sounding more furious by the second.

"Oh no," Mario whined. "I really don't want to meet you _now_."

"Who is this?" Fluzz asked confusedly.

"Orange Hook. I'll explain later," Mario told him and the rest of his partners besides Goomessa. "Just attack her with everything you've got. Goomessa, do you have anything on her?"

"Don't you go thinking you can get to Queen Kat!" Hook screeched.

"But we beat Red Shines," Mario pointed out.

Hook leaped into the air and brandished a long mace, pointing it towards the ground and aiming directly for Mario. The plumber dodged quickly by jumping to the ground, causing the mace to strike the snow between his knees. Mario quickly got up and jumped back.

"Orange Hook," Goomessa read from her Tattle Log. "The second in line of Dark Rainbow, Orange Hook is tougher than the member preceding her, Red Shines. Her max Hp is 18, attack is 3, and defense is 2. There isn't much special about her besides her huge club that she can stab us with."

"Red Shines was a _wimp_," Hook told her. "She may not have gotten you, but I will. Now just hold still, all of you, so I can club you over the head!"

"Yeah, _that'll_ happen," Mario said sarcastically.

"I have no time for jokes!" Hook shouted, running at him and swinging her mace again. It seemed that it wasn't that heavy; it didn't take her very long the recover from a swing. Mario guessed that the Dark Rainbow all had superhuman abilities.

"But do you really have to say everything so loud?" Wishes demanded.

"Shut your traps, all of you!" Hook commanded, slicing through the air at the party and narrowly missing. "And stop running away from me! You know, dying doesn't hurt that bad!"

"How would you know?" Goomessa asked.

"Well, we are officially called the Dark Rainbow Commanders of the Undead and-stop asking questions!" Hook suddenly cut herself off, darting at Goomessa with her club pointed forward. The Goombette happened to be backed against the cliff at this point and had nowhere to run. Mario didn't know what to do. He motioned at Snow, who began to hum, until a flash of purple suddenly hit Hook in the head. Snow threw a chunk of fire at her at the same time and she fell face-first in to the snow. Hopping up, she glared at the offending party members. "I have no reason not to have captured you already. Now die!" she screamed.

"Wait, I'm confused, yes I am," Fluzz said. "Do you want us dead or captured?"

"Queen Kat said dead or alive," Hook explained. "And again, _stop asking questions!_"

She suddenly held her mace high up in the air. Ice formed around it, turning it from brown to nearly white. She began to spin, putting her weapon forward as she did so. Mario jumped from her path, as did most of his partners. Wishes was not quite as lucky as the rest of the party. Apparently supposing he could hit Hook even when she was a spinning death machine. Mario shouted at him to move as he jumped towards Hook and was subsequently impaled and pushed back. Mario rushed towards him and grabbed a Mushroom from his pocket. "You okay, Wishes?" he asked.

"Sure," the Star answered, taking the Mushroom and eating it. Even as he chewed, he began to look better. Mario sighed in relief and turned back to Hook.

"You've got a lot of guts and strength, not to mention luck, to have survived this far, Mario," Hook seethed. "But it's about time that ended!"

She threw her club to the ground, creating a large shock that knocked the party off their feet. She then ran at them, her mace thrust forward.

Wishes jumped up and stretched out his cape, beginning to shine. As the glow became brighter, a large force field appeared around him and the rest of the party. Orange Hook didn't see it until it was too late. She ran right into it and was knocked back by the force of the collision.

Goomessa rushed up immediately afterwards and began to Multibonk Hook. Hook's struggles became progressively weaker until she finally fell limp. Looking back up at Mario, still with a fire in her eyes, she warned him:

"You may have won this battle, Mario, but you will never defeat Queen Kat. I promise you this."

A bolt of black lightning then came down upon her and she disappeared into thin air.

"_She_ was a piece of work, yes she was," Fluzz commented.

"So, what's up with these guys, anyway?" Snow asked. "You mentioned some Red Shines person. So how many more of these guys are there?"

"Well, two down, so five to go," Goomessa mused.

"Great," Wishes muttered. "But who are they anyway? Why do they want to stop us? And…why are they so weird?"

"They're called Dark Rainbow, if you didn't listen to Hook," Mario replied. "They've been sent by Kat to get rid of us so we don't get to her. She's afraid of losing, so she's sent her little cronies to stop us. And…they're weird because that's just what Kat does. So…we won't stop Kat and Violon by waiting, right?"

"I guess not," Goomessa answered. "And we can't be too far from the entrance to the mill. Right, Snow?"

"Hey, I wouldn't know, Daddy never let me up here," Snow replied defensively. "I had to stay home whenever he held affairs with the mill or anything important. Sorry…"

"Hey, that's okay," Mario assured. "Obviously we'll get there eventually. I'm just glad Hook didn't get us too bad."

So the party continued up the mountain, as undaunted as if Hook had never appeared. Though the air was freezing and the snow was deep, Mario felt that they had to get to the girls as quickly as they could. And while the climb was made more difficult by the fact that it was now a December night rather than an August day, the plumber and his partners pushed on.

Before long, however, they made it to the top of the final ledge. The main entrance stood very close in front of them. Mario smiled in relief. "Well, it can't be too much farther, right?" he said to his partners.

"Are Kat and Violon particularly strong?" Goomessa asked. "I've been wanting to ask this, but I didn't know when I should."

"Not too bad," Mario replied uncertainly. "It'll be harder now that we're…well, middle-aged, but they aren't too terrible."

"That's nice," Goomessa muttered.

"Well, here we are," Mario announced hastily, hearing her remark. The entrance was very tall and wide. Rocks were carefully placed to form an arch around the entrance. Mario was worried to go near them in case he touched them or something they all fell and blocked the entrance. The moonlight reflected off the snow and made the entrance extremely vibrant and shiny. "Hopefully it's not like last time."

"What was it like last time?" Snow asked fearfully.

Mario sighed. "Well, we fell about fifty feet, Snow broke a heel, Koopetto broke a hip, Fluzz made a really bad joke, it smelled horrible, and then we met up with Chocolate Blobbeh and his Choco-Blarg minions."

The entire party stared at him. "He's insane," Snow cried. "He's insane, and I've been following an insane man all this time!"

"Thank you…for that insightful comment, Snow," Mario said, blinking a few times.

"That _was_ a bit creepy and weird, Mario," Wishes admitted.

"Oh come on, guys," Goomessa pleaded. "He's _Mario_, for crying out loud! He's been through everything. If he says there was a Chocolate Blobbeh with Choco-Blargs, then by gosh, there was probably a Chocolate Blobbeh and Choco-Blargs."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Snow sighed. "But now I really don't want to go in there."

Mario convinced her otherwise and soon the party was inside. It was inconceivably dark, and it was a weird kind of pitch dark, like someone had literally sucked all the light out of the place so that you couldn't light it up if you tried. "Snow, could you get some fire in here?"

"I've been trying," the Toadette replied. "But I can't get anything to light in this place."

"Then we should make sure to stick close to each other," Mario told his partners. "I'll stay in front."

The party then walked cautiously and slowly forward, careful to listen for any sound. Mario suddenly felt himself step onto higher ground. "Stop, guys," he ordered quietly. He tried stepping forward again. This ground was lower again. So what he had stepped on might be a switch.

"Stay where you are," he told them again. Stepping back on the switch, he waited for it to sink, but it refused. "Maybe it needs more weight, or more force," he said to himself. He performed a Spin Jump on the switch and felt it sink.

Light immediately flooded into the place (though Mario was never quite sure where from), blinding Mario and his partners. Once they were over it, Mario took stock of their surroundings. There were three additional switches in the room, one next to Mario, one on the ceiling, and the other over a chasm right in front of Mario. The plumber was glad he'd stopped when he did. The only problem was that a large cylindrical stream of ice shot from the ceiling on the other side of the chasm and covered the switch there. The last thing Mario noticed was a strip on the right wall, directly over the chasm, of what looked like paper.

"Well, this won't be fun," Goomessa remarked.

"But it looks like Kat designed this room specifically for us. Goomessa, I want you to stand on this switch next to me," Mario explained. "Snow, can you throw fire over that gap to hit that big ice tube?"

"I can try," Snow answered, humming and then throwing a chunk of fire over the chasm. It hit easily and melted the tube completely away.

"Good," Mario approved. "Now, Wishes, do that…shiny thing you do and hit that switch up there." He pointed to the ceiling above him. Wishes stretched out his cape again and rose to the switch, eventually forming his sparkly force field and striking the switch with it.

"Now, Koopetto, use your shell and hit the last switch," Mario instructed.

Koopetto blinked a few times, as if he didn't quite understand. After a moment, he nodded slowly and shot his shell at the switch. A rumbling came from the chasm. A large piece of rock rose up to close the gap. "Yay!" Snow cheered, clapping her hands giddily.

"Only one thing left to do," Mario said. "Fluzz, can you vacuum away that strip of paper?" He walked over to the strip and pointed at it. Fluzz quickly obliged, getting rid of the fake wall within seconds. Mario was surprised to find a door in its place. "Well, we have nothing to lose," he quickly convinced himself. "Let's go."

He slowly opened the door. His partners followed him inside. Mario immediately recognized the room. "We're here…but where are they?"

"Here we are!" Kat laughed. Mario looked forward and saw her standing in the middle of the glass room. Mario looked at her and did a double take. She looked exactly the same as when they had first met.

"Oh, I am just _convivial_ that you decided to join us!" she giggled.

"Convivial?" Mario repeated.

"It means happy," Kat seethed, suddenly angry. Blinking a few times, she smiled again. "Anyway, I'm very glad you didn't chicken out. I'm sure little Orange Hook gave you a hard time, didn't she?"

"A little bit," Mario answered.

"Good!" Kat laughed, jumping up in the air. "Now before you say anything, wait a minute..." She looked at her watch for moment before cheering, "Merry Christmas, everyone!

"Okay, now you can speak."

"Kat, Mario told us all about how we beat you last time," Snow told her, smirking.

"So?" Kat shrugged.

"Why don't you just admit defeat and not make us go through this again?" Wishes asked.

"Because that would be dumb," Kat answered, as though it were obvious.

"Please, Lady Katherine, just stop-" Fluzz began.

"What?" Kat shrieked. "_Nobody calls me Katherine! It's not my name! My name is Kat, not Katherine, not Katarina, just Kat!_" After breathing deeply a few times, she continued. "Now, as punishment for calling me that, I have to do something…but what?"

"You're acting like that spoiled rich hotel heiress on that show," Mario commented.

"I know, right?" Kat agreed. "Oh! I know! I'm going to take you back to your own time. Doesn't that sound great?" She smiled maniacally.

"Sure, but…where's the other one of you?" Mario asked curiously.

"Oh, Violon? She's not here right now. She, uh…Well, it doesn't matter, because when I warp you back, I'll have her by my side!"

"Oh, so this is just a way to have another person on your team?" Mario demanded. "You're afraid to fight us yourself?"

Kat glared at him for a few seconds before answered simply, "Yep, pretty much. DADDY!"

"Well, _that_ didn't work," Mario muttered before running towards the wall. A large black portal opened up and black energy seeped out of it.

"You didn't say this was going to happen!" Goomessa cried as the room began to shake. The black energy took the shape of a person, and Mario knew it was Troy.

"It wasn't on the schedule!" Mario answered.

"My dear sweet, Kat, what is it this time?" Troy asked, facing his daughter.

"I want you to send these people back," Kat answered sweetly.

"Really now? Well, then, we'd need the Sands of Time," Troy explained.

"I'm so scared," Snow murmured, her voice shaking.

"I kept them," Kat told him, reaching into her pocket and taking out a clear box filled with sparkling sand. She gave this to Troy and then placed her hands in a cup fashion in front of her. Just like last time, a ball of water formed in her hands. Troy added this to the sand and turned towards the party. "Have a good trip back," he ordered amusedly. He then shot a bolt at the mixture of sand and water.

The air around Mario began to glow white, just like last time. This time, Mario sighed and let it happen. As the world quickly lost all hue, the plumber smiled.

It was time to rid the world of Kat and Violon indefinitely.

**:::::**

**Well, there we are, guys! Tell me what you thought! Next, we _fina-frickin-lly_ get to the second fight with the girls. Took me long enough, didn't it?**

**See ya!**


	47. SchoolTime: Part XV

**Hey, guys! It's still me, Freddy-dude. I haven't changed my fake name.**

**Anyway, it's **_**almost**_** time for the finale of chapter four already! Hoo-rah.**

**So yeah. I don't own stuff at all, so let's get going.**

**:::::**

As Mario determined that feeling was returning to his body, he attempted to walk. Slowly but surely, he felt himself able to move. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw colors fading back in. The black of the glass bedroom; the pink and white of the beds; the blue of the boxes on the brown desk; and his own red shirt.

"There you are!" called a voice that was so annoyingly recognizable and that Mario had heard so many times at this point that Mario wished he could take out the voice box of its owner already. He looked up to see Kat waving at him with her fingers. Pulling out her two katana swords, she laughed, "Tut, tut. Looks like rain. I feel simply effervescent that you came!"

"It's true, she's extremely volatile," Violon chuckled.

"Pardon?"

"Happy!" Kat shouted miserably. "Why does no one remember our long words that mean happy?"

"Because nobody knows them but you!" Mario replied.

"Well, maybe they should!" Kat retorted, slicing through the air near Mario, who jumped back.

"Well, they won't," Mario told her.

"Why?"

"Because you're a freak!"

"NO!" Kat sobbed, sinking to the floor and looking downward. "Stop calling me that! I'm a person, with feelings!"

"No, you aren't," Mario disagreed. "If you had any feelings at all, you wouldn't blow up towns. You wouldn't trick people into letting you win.

"…You wouldn't be you."

"That isn't true!" she shouted. "Take it back, or I'll have to poke you!"

She ran at him, swords bared. The plumber dodged the attack easily and motioned for his partners to help him. "Don't run, Mario! I'll catch you eventually!"

She eventually caught up to him and stopped, ready to stab him. "Oh, no you don't," Koopetto yelled, launching himself at her. She screamed, equally as surprised as hurt, and faced Koopetto with a smirk on her face.

"Quit hurting her!" Violon cried. "She's my sister!" The younger sister then began to throw lightning bolts at Mario and his partners. Mario ran towards her.

"Yeah, well, they're _my_ friends," he told her. "So don't think you get away with hurting _them_ either." He tried to hit her with his hammer, but she formed herself a force field of fire. Mario frowned in frustration.

Kat suddenly jumped on him from behind. "I'll give you one more chance to take it back," she informed him.

"I'm not going to," Mario replied stubbornly.

"Fine, then," she replied, standing up and glaring at Mario with something in her eyes he hadn't seen before. There was no trace of giddiness, no crazy gleam, no odd desire to act insane at all. This was an honest hate, a complete lack of happiness (if evil happiness) that was absolutely unlike her. There was now nothing but bitter animosity. "If that's how you think it is, then that's how it'll be. Violon, let's do this thing."

Violon strode up behind her with a half-smile on her face. "Sure thing, Kat."

Mario turned to face his partners, who, having observed the spectacle, nodded and walked up to his side. "Okay, Kat," Goomessa said. "You're right. It's time we finished this once and for all."

Kat darted towards Mario, her swords pointed forward. Mario took out his hammer and held it in front of him. Kat hit his hammer instead of him and fell to the ground. Mario took this opportunity to use a special move. He pulled out the pot Smudgey had once rested in and held it in the air. It glowed and produced a swirling pillar of blue light, which flew over Mario and all of his partners. Mario felt much stronger suddenly.

"Don't even," Kat whispered threateningly. Mario took out his hammer again and whacked Kat's skull in response. She yelped in pain, but was still able to stand up. "You aren't going to win," she told him.

"Don't think so," Mario answered. The two of them got themselves into a hammer-sword fight, trying to hit each other but instead hitting each other's weapons. Mario looked over at his partners, who were all ganging up on Violon. He quietly got their attention without letting Kat see. Snow and Goomessa walked quickly over to Kat and Mario and began to attack Kat from behind.

She fell forward and dropped her swords. "This isn't supposed to happen!" she yelled, hopping up and glaring at all of them. "I'm _supposed_ to be invincible! I'm not supposed to be able to die!"

"Since when?" Mario asked confusedly, his hammer still brandished cautiously.

"Because Daddy said so!" Kat replied. "He said that because of him, I was invincible! But I'm even weaker than before…"

"Because Troy doesn't care about you, remember?" Mario demanded. "He doesn't care at best. Don't you get it? You-are not-important."

Kat blinked a few times. "No…no, that isn't true, it _can't_ be…" she whispered. "I'm not…Of course I'm important! I'm Troy's daughter!"

"Sure, you're a self-proclaimed princess," Mario agreed, "but that's nothing to anyone besides you."

Kat stared at him, looking utterly defeated. "But why…" she said quietly, her voice no longer full of life, but sounding like a loud sigh mixed in with sandpaper scratching against skin. "Why, why, why?"

She breathed shallowly a few times before beginning to choke. Mario stepped back cautiously. Kat continued coughing before suddenly screaming in an inhuman pitch. Mario gaped at her. "NO!" she shrieked again, shoving the three away with unnatural strength. "IT'S HORRIBLE!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. It was right about then that she went through the creepiest and saddest-looking (albeit only) metamorphosis Mario had ever seen in his life.

She first grew around five times her own height, crashing through the top of the bedroom. Her entire right arm stretched out and grew wider, until it looked like a lobster claw. Her left fingers entwined and the rest of her arm thinned out until it was essentially a snake. Her left foot grew very small and it looked like that of a mouse. Her right foot, on the other hand, grew so large and wide her shoe cracked and fell off, until it much resembled that of an elephant. Finally, her head assumed a shape more spherical than a human head would usually be, and two large lumps sprouted out of it. She screamed in fear and pain the entire time.

Mario was about ready to faint by the time this horror show was over. Violon and the rest of Mario's partners had also gathered around "Kat" to see what would happen next.

As if she was nothing more than a shell, Kat cracked away-hair, skin, clothes, everything-to reveal the most hideous creature Mario had ever seen in his life-and he'd seen way too many hideous creatures in his life already. It looked like Kat had after her transformation, only every animal-like part of her body resembled the real animal now, with some changes. The elephant foot was violet, the lobster claw had yellow spots on its red surface, the mouse foot was neon orange, and the snake-for-an-arm was deep blue. The creature itself sported a green sundress.

But the scariest part of the creature was its head. It had the head of a rabbit, but it looked like it had been painted in an attempt to look like make-up. The creature was now staring evilly at Violon and the party.

The first sound was Violon letting out an absolutely horror-struck, overwhelmed, outraged scream that rang throughout the entire mill: "KAT!"

"What _is _that thing?" Mario cried.

The creature boomed at them in a female voice: "I am the Darkness! I am the embodiment of all destruction! Cool, huh? Fancy meeting you here!"

"What happened to Kat?" Violon sobbed.

"Kat never existed," the Darkness told her. "She was merely a disguise of mine that your worthless father offered me."

"But she seemed so real," Mario protested.

"That's because even though she wasn't technically human, she had a mind of her own," the Darkness explained. "She had no idea what she was. Now please hold on a moment while I destroy you."

"Wait!" Mario searched his mind for a way to stall her long enough for him to think of a plan. "Why did you-or Kat, anyway-send us into some wacky different time period just to send us back here?"

"Oh, that?" the Darkness laughed. "That was absolutely nothing! It was simply a time-wasting strategy. Troy needed just a little bit more time to begin his master plan, because of course he's an idiot, so he instructed 'Kat' to send you so far in time you'd have a hard time getting. He knows you're softhearted, so of course you were going to look all over for your dumb friends. Then, whenever you happened to show up, Kat would send you all back. And while you've been doing this, Troy already knows exactly what to do."

"What's he going to do?" Mario asked.

"That's for me to know, and you…to not to," the Darkness answered. "Now, once again, hold still so I can rid the world of every single one of you idiots."

"But…if you're the darkness," Goomessa began.

"Then you can get rid of us just by touching us?" Wishes cried.

"Not me!" Violon told them, amidst tears that were still flowing down her face. "I'm immune to it. Daddy put a spell on…Kat and me when we were little so we would be invulnerable to the darkness. Then he used the Waters of Life and the Sands of Time to make us as old as I am now."

"But can we help you at all?" Mario asked hopefully.

"Maybe," Violon answered. "I'd have to weaken her first. Give me a weapon, magic won't work on her."

Mario didn't hesitate to hand her his hammer. She ran up to the Darkness and began to buffet her with the hammer. The darkness made many attempts to resist, but Mario noticed that though the first one was quite strong, they became quickly weaker. Somehow Mario felt she was either faking it or she wasn't too strong right now for some reason.

"Why can't I hurt you? I don't understand," the Darkness whined. "This is…"

It wasn't too long before the Darkness cried out in pain and fell to the floor. Mario and his partners ran up to it and began to attack it. "This is wrong!" the Darkness cried, pushing them away and attempting to stand up. "I am…"

"You can't hurt us because you don't have the heart to," Violon told her. "If you remember, Daddy told us both that you were worthless in this world."

"But that's…" the Darkness trailed off. "Fine, then. I'll have to go to Plathora…Just take your stupid Cloud Fragment and leave!"

The Darkness then blasted out of the bedroom and out of the mill, leaving two things: a pile of carnage in the form of large rocks and shards of glass, and a pink glass bowl.

"It's the Cloud Fragment!" Goomessa announced, repeating Mario's thoughts.

"I'm not exactly sure what happened here," Koopetto said confusedly.

"What did you mean when you said she was worthless here?" Wishes asked Violon.

"I meant that the Darkness is only powerful when she's in Plathora, specifically Troy's castle," Violon answered. "As that black entity you witnessed at Princess Peach's castle, she can do anything. But as that…creature that attacked us, she is not quite as powerful."

"Maybe we can use that to our advantage," Mario mused.

"Maybe," Violon agreed.

"Which reminds me," Mario continued. "Thank you for helping us, Violon."

"No problem, really," Violon answered, shrugging. "I don't really have much of a goal. Only Kat did. And of course…" She looked at the floor.

Mario looked around the room, and as usual, it began to change. The black glass changed into smooth crystalline white rock. The remaining furniture in the bedroom disappeared, and a silver cage cleanly replaced the pile of broken junk.

Mario carefully carried the Cloud Fragment into the slot in the cage. The cage disappeared, revealing a figure lying on the ground. Unlike other times, Mario could tell what it was-a Star in a maroon cape. The Star stood up slowly and looked cautiously at Mario. "You defeated the Darkness?"

"Kind of…" Mario answered.

"Meaning?" the Star asked.

"She fled for Plathora," Violon answered, bowing for some reason.

"I'll take that," the Star said. "You know what they say: you don't always get what you get, so this should be okay for now. My name is Napoleon Hershey. I am pleased to meet you, and thank you for saving me. Now...I'm quite sure you know the powers of the Cloud Fragments?"

"Yes, of course," Mario answered.

"Then you should be able to use Thief, a star power which will allow you to take an amount of health from an opponent and add it to your own."

"Sweet," Mario remarked. "I can't believe we have four of the seven Fragments…Now we just have to get out of here. But, well, how? I don't see any exits."

"Don't worry," Napoleon assured him. "Now that the Darkness has left, at least for now, some of the power of the spirit guardians should return to us. I can get you out the same way Amber did."

"Great," Mario approved. "Can you take us to Gillisville then?" Napoleon nodded in a deliberate fashion. The party-and Violon-dissipated into the air. They only had three Cloud Fragments to retrieve now. Mario could almost taste the end of this adventure.

**:::::**

**A/N: Hooray for the almost-end of this chapter! Tell me if you liked this part. I know it what extremely confusing, what with the Crazy Kat and the complete introduction of a new villain, but please try to bear with me if this story gets even more strange.**

**See ya!**


	48. SchoolTime: Part XVI

**Hi, people. You know who I am, I think. But in case you don't, and for some reason you decided to skip to this specific chapter and never read the preceding parts of the story, I'm Freddy. Yeah. Anyway, here we are at the almost end of chapter four. I think the only chapter that will be longer than this will be seven…but I ain't gonna tell you anything about it, of course, because I'm evil.**

**By the way, one of my favorite quotes right now (whether you get it depends on whether you've heard the song): "Do you know what they call alternative medicine that's been proved to work? Medicine."**

**Anyway, let's go.**

**:::::**

Mario opened his eyes again, expecting to see the sand and cheap-looking houses that were the staple of Gillisville, but instead, he saw snow and lots of black burned wood. "Why are we in Sadiel?" he asked Napoleon confusedly. "I thought you were taking us to Gillisville.

"I don't know," Napoleon answered worriedly. "I know I was bound for Gillisville. I'm sure of it."

"Huh," Mario breathed. "Well, I may as well go see Freewire. I can at least tell him we got the Fragment we needed. You all do whatever you like. And Napoleon, if you wish, you can go to the Haven of the Spirits. Thanks for taking us here at least."

Napoleon nodded and closed his eyes. After a moment he opened them again. "My powers aren't working. This is isn't good."

Mario bit his lip. This he would also tell Freewire. "Come with me, then, Napoleon," he told him.

The two made their way to the highest point of the village and inside Freewire's hut. "Freewire?" Mario called. "Are you in here?"

"He must be out," Napoleon decided. "I'm sure he's helping fix things."

So the pair walked back outside. Freewire met them right at the door. "Hello, boys," he greeted. "Need something?"

"Well, I just wanted to thank you for your help, and…we have the Cloud Fragment now," Mario told him, realizing at this point that Freewire couldn't do much for Napoleon.

"You're very welcome," Freewire agreed. "I was glad to help, but I'm sorry for everything that went wrong. I'm sure it was a pain getting the Fragment back from those girls."

"You have no idea," Mario muttered.

"Why don't you all stay the night here?" Freewire asked. "You worked hard, and I'm sure a good night's sleep would do you all good."

"I would," Mario told him, "but I really have to get going. I have to keep searching for the Cloud Fragments. Thank you for the offer, though."

"It's nothing," Freewire replied, obviously disheartened. "But, you know, it _would_ be nice if you stayed. I would like to be able to know you and your friends were all well-rested and healthy for the rest of your adventure."

Mario looked to Napoleon for advice. The Star shrugged and nodded. "Sure, I'll stay," Mario told Freewire. "Thank you."

"No problem," Freewire answered, smiling. "Now if you'll excuse me." He then floated off towards a group of working Stars and Star Children.

"Well, I guess there isn't much for us to do now," Mario sighed. "I wonder what was with Freewire."  
Napoleon shrugged. "Just like he said," he answered. "He wants you all to be well-rested…You know what, I'll leave, if you like."

"Only if you want," Mario replied light-headedly. "I don't want to tell you what to do."

"Well, okay then," Napoleon said, nodding.

"Do you know what time it is?" Mario asked, his eyes half-closed.

"I'd say around six o' clock," the Star answered.

"See you sometime soon," Mario said to him delicately, turning to walk to Wishes's house.

"Mario, is there something wrong?" The plumber turned to see Goomessa eyeing him curiously. "You look tired and confused about something, like my great aunt when I talk to her about the air force."

"Not at all," Mario replied. "Freewire said we should spend the night. What do you say?"

Goomessa processed the thought quietly. "I don't mind," she decided. "I'll tell the others. See you in a sec."

Mario yawned and sat on the ground. Not much of the snow remained after the fires Kat and Violon had started. The ground was still quite warm, as it probably would be for four or five more days here. Mario wanted to get out of this place, but he couldn't turn down Freewire's offer.

That reminded him of something else he would want to think about. What would he do with Violon? Mario knew she obviously wasn't evil. That, or she was an excellent actress. Gillis would probably freak if he saw her, as would Maddie. The former would probably faint, and the latter might take her right to Troy's castle without allowing for any explanation whatsoever.

Then there was the trouble of the next Cloud Fragment. How exactly were they supposed to find out? Unless Troy had already discovered it and hadn't gotten it yet, or Gillis's future vision powers had returned, there was no way for the party to know where it was.

His thoughts were interrupted when his partners came up on him. "Mario?" Goomessa called. The plumber hopped up.

"That was fast," Mario remarked. "Let's go inside, I guess."

"And get out of the cold soon, maybe?" Snow demanded. "It's like living on the North Pole."

Wishes stared at her. "Oh really?" he asked sarcastically. "A city situated further north than almost any other city out there feeling like the North Pole? No, I don't believe that for a second…"

**:::::**

_Crash!_

Mario's eyes shot open. "What was that?" he heard someone whisper. After a moment, he figured it was a sleepy Koopetto.

He leapt out of bed and reoriented himself. "I don't know," he called back.

"Would you quiet down?" someone else whined. He quickly identified it as Snow.

"Shut it, there's something-" Fluzz began, but a loud explosion cut him off. Mario told all of his partners to follow him outside.

Opening the door quietly, the plumber looked around. The sin would be out right now, if it weren't for a few minor malfunctions: Hail the size of tennis balls rained from the sky. Lightning crashed upon the ground again and again. Flames licked the ground, spreading quickly. Sharp winds rose through the air before dying down and starting up again soon after.

"It's Violon!" Goomessa cried.

"I don't think so," Mario told her, pointing at the tall menacing figure that stood cackling in the center of town.

"I didn't think you fools would _ever_ wake up!" Troy laughed.

"What is it with you, Troy?" Mario demanded. "Why do you do this to people?"

"Because it's fun destroying things!" Troy replied giddily, shooting black bolts of lightning randomly from his scepter. "What, are you afraid of a bit of bad weather? 'Cause I can do better!"

"Not for long!" Mario had to shout to be heard, beckoning his partners to join him as he ran up to Troy.

"T-TA-TH-Tr-Troy, here he is," Goomessa called. "He's the grandmaster of the darkness, and self-named King of the Clouds. He has a max Hp of 40 outside Plathora, and attack of 5, and defense 2. The book says he can use magic, too. But outside his own home, he isn't that powerful. It says just to hit him with everything you have."

The battle began very haphazardly. The party attacked Troy, and vice versa, but nobody really did any damage-the "bit of bad weather" made it impossible to see or concentrate. The party had to jump to avoid the fire, and the wind was so ridiculously strong that they were shoved back whenever they had clear shots.

"Troy, could you quit it with the fire?" Mario yelled after getting brutally burned from behind and having it subsequently snubbed by the wind.

"Not really!" Troy laughed, zapping another lightning bolt at Mario, who narrowly dodged it. "But if you're afraid," Troy continued, "then you can just give-AIE!"

He suddenly fell to the ground, his storms and disasters following him, in a beautiful technicolor display of shapes and lines. Mario looked up to see Violon with her hands in front of her, a ray of light coming from them and aimed directly at Troy. "Get him while you can!" she cried.

Mario nodded and ran towards Troy, who was currently having a seizure on the ground, and began whacking him with his hammer. His partners quickly joined him, but it wasn't long before Troy leaped into the air and pushed everyone back. Mario grabbed his shoulder and bit his lip, looking around and seeing a few of his partners doing the same. "Who did this?" Troy bellowed, glaring around.

"Troy, you deceive people," Violon shouted. "And now it's going to come back to get you."

"It was you…Violon, I'm surprised," Troy told her angrily. "But if this is how you want it, I wouldn't want to disappoint you."

"What do you mean?" Violon asked, her arms crossed.

"What are you doing?" Mario demanded.

Troy telekinetically clutched Violon around the neck and threw her into the air. She screamed pitifully. He then brought back his collection of natural disasters and held them all above him.

"No, you can't!" Mario shouted, running towards Troy, but he was too slow. Troy tossed the fire, the wind, the hail, and the lightning at Violon all at once.

Mario could only stand and watch in horror as Violon, now with welts on her charred skin, descended to the ground. "I never liked either of you, anyway," Troy muttered.

Mario felt his hands ball involuntarily into fists and yanked his hammer back out of his pocket. "You monster!" he shouted, sprinting at Troy and swinging his hammer at him without even seeing what he was doing. Troy fell to the ground, staring fearfully at Mario, his top hat tumbling off his head. In Mario's head, everything was happening in slow motion, and as Troy scrambled lazily to his feet, yelping for help, the plumber continued to wave his hammer crazily around. The steel landed on Troy again and again before Troy finally screamed for the plumber to stop.

"I don't know what's got into you," Troy seethed, "but I'm finished with you. I will see you and your crazy head in the clouds…no pun intended."

He then leaped into the sky, magically parting the clouds and disappearing into the air. Mario breathed deeply and turned back to his partners.

"You are one angry dude," Snow commented.

"Possibly," Mario agreed. "But…Violon!"

The party dashed towards Violon, who still lay on the ground amongst blackened ground and red snow. "Violon, are you okay?" Mario asked worriedly.

"It's okay, Mario," she answered, smiling. "It was this or a gut wound from that bullet yesterday. Time doesn't change…only people do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Goomessa demanded.

"Troy will teach you," Violon answered. "'Cause you know what they say. Time is a great teacher, but it kills all of its pupils."

**:::::**

After a unanimous decision that they wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, the party left Sadiel by way of teleportation. Napoleon's power returned once Troy was gone, and the gang was now in Gillisville walking towards Gillis's house. Mario knocked on the door once they got there. Gillis told them to come in.

Inside, Mario saw Gillis staring into space. "Hello, Gillis," Mario greeted. "How are you?"

"I don't know," Gillis answered, not averting his upward gaze. "You knew about the weird time change thing, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did, and it wasn't fun," Mario replied. "I didn't think anyone besides my friends would know about it. Then again, you know about the Cloud Fragments, so I guess I should have known."

"That's okay," Gillis laughed, finally looking at Mario. "Oh! Napoleon is here, isn't he? I just remembered that that's the _only_ reason you'd ever come to visit!" Mario could swear he heard a coarse bitterness on "_only_". Napoleon floated in though the door and shook Gillis's hand.

"Well, I must congratulate you on your success," Gillis thanked Mario, "but I must confess that I don't know the locations of the other Cloud Fragments any better than I knew the location of the last one. I was hoping Ms. Valentine would stop by, but I haven't had a visit from her."

"That's okay," Mario assured him.

"Maybe we should try looking around in places that we know first," Koopetto suggested. "Who knows, maybe we'll find one of the Fragments along the way."

"That's a good idea," Mario agreed, looking at Gillis.

"I don't have a say in anything," he reminded the plumber. "You do whatever you want."

"Then let's go back to Paratonis and comb it over for places we've been but haven't really searched," Mario told his partners. If we don't find anything, we'll look somewhere else."

His partners quickly agreed. "We'll start with Ferris Airlines," Mario decided. "Snow, what-"

"Six twenty-five," Snow cut him off, knowing his question before he asked it.

"Let's go," Mario ordered.

It was time for a whole new part of this adventure.

**:::::**

**And there we have it! I'm sorry this part was a little short, but I didn't know what to do with the party going to the airport. Yeah.**

**Anyway, it'll be time for the fourth interlude once we get back, and you'll notice something that's going to make interludes a little interesting.**

**I'll let you hang there for a bit while I get the next part done…**

**See ya!**


	49. SchoolTime: Interlude

**Hello people, it's Frederic Marile with the finale of chapter four. INTERLUDE! I'm glad you guys are still reading my story, it means a lot. Yeah.**

**I don't got nothing to say, so let's get going.**

**:::::**

A cold stream of air blew through the room. Twink looked up expectantly to see Troy striding down the hall. "Good morning," he called.

Troy continued walking without answering whatsoever. "Nice to see you too, Your Majesty," he muttered. "Anything I can do for you? Like, message your head, or clean the kitchen, or maybe install an indoor pool, or turn out the sun because it hurts your-"

"Shut up, Twink," Troy snarled, turning to face the Star with a fiery glare. "Just shut up now. I don't need any of your pathetic attitude right now. I just don't need it."

"Cool off, Mr. Touchy," Twink retorted. "What happened? Did the little visionary get his butt whooped by the plumber again?"

"Maybe," Troy answered angrily, "and now he has four Cloud Fragments and I only have one. That means I can't possibly get more than he has…"

"Oh, darn," Twink said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Go talk to Madeline about this, I honestly can't sympathize with you. You _do_ know I want Mario to win, right?"

"Of course I know that, and you know I couldn't care less if I tried," Troy answered, frustrated. "But I can't find Maddie anywhere. I guess she went for a walk or she's talking with some-"

"Okay, and getting into the realm of I Don't Care," Twink told him. "Could you leave? I'm kind of working on a project right now."

"What project?" Troy asked curiously.

"A picture of your daughters," the Star answered, showing him a painting of Kat and a half-finished Violon. "Is it good?"

"Very," Troy replied uninterestedly. "Which reminds me…Twink, find Maddie."

"But you said you can't find-"

"Do you _want _me to raise my voice, Twink? Do _not_ make me raise my voice!" Troy shouted.

"On it." Twink floated off.

**:::::**

"Maddie?" Twink called softly. He was now walking down the hall that contained all of the rooms of Troy's servants. "Maddie, are you here? Troy wants to see you."

"Oh, Twink, hello," Maddie answered from behind him. He turned around to see her smiling sweetly at him. "You were looking for me?"

"Where were you?" Twink asked.

"Nowhere," Maddie answered, sitting on the floor. The fringes of the rug underneath her flew up as she went down. Twink looked at her suspiciously.

"Nowhere? Are you sure?' he asked.

"Nowhere, seriously," Maddie replied, suddenly sounding scornful and defensive, standing back up and stepping closer to the Star with her arms crossed. "I don't need you babysitting me and always having to know where I've been and what I've done. Now what do you want?"

"Okay, okay! Don't have a cow!" Twink told her, backing away with a surprised look on his face. "Troy wants to see you, okay?"

"Really? Did he say why?" Maddie asked, her sudden anger fading.

"Not really…" Twink answered awkwardly. "I showed him a picture…and then he decided…oh, just come with me."

**:::::**

"Troy! Troy, wake up!" Twink shook Troy's collar. Troy fell out of his chair.

"King Troy, are you okay?" Maddie asked worriedly. "Did you hurt yourself? I can get you a bottle of Sherry, it does wonders for a bruise-"

"Maddie, I'm fine," Troy assured her, trying to sound patient. "Now that I'm awake-" he cast a glare at Twink-"I need to talk to you, Maddie, about something urgent."

"Cool! Urgent stuff is fun to listen-" Twink began.

"YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO THE PLAN SO LEAVE," Troy shouted. Twink left the room immediately.

"Now, Maddie," Troy began once the Star had left. "I need to tell you about a big plan of mine, okay?"

"Does it involve me, King Troy?" Maddie asked, sounding scared but honestly intrigued.

"No, Maddie," Troy replied. "I called you in here and made Twink leave because I want to start a circus."

"Okay, sorry," Maddie apologized, sitting down and staring at the floor. "What did you want to tell me?"

"First there's someone I want you to know," Troy told her, beginning to grin.

"Am I going to like this person?" Maddie asked.

"Well, she's not exactly someone you can identify with…" Troy answered nervously. "She's not like you, and she may frighten you a little bit, but I'm sure you'll be fine…"

**:::::**

"Princess Peach! The door is locked from the inside, please open it! Princess, open the door! Please, hurry!" Maddie knocked desperately on the door to Peach's room. "Oh, she must be sleeping…Princess Peach, please, answer!"

"I'm right here, Maddie," Peach assured her, opening the door. Maddie rushed inside. "Now what's so important?" Peach asked. "You sound like my mother used to whenever I ate pecan pie. She's afraid of it."

"She's afraid of pecans?" Maddie asked confusedly.

"No, curled pie crust."

Maddie stared at her.

"You'd have to meet my mother," Peach told her. "Now tell me what's so important!"

"Right," Maddie replied, nodding. "King Troy told me something horrible. He has a whole new plan, and it makes me really scared of what's going to come."

"Well, what is it? And what's so bad about it? And…is he making me part of it?" Peach asked worriedly.

"Well, first of all, it's going to take me a long time to explain," Maddie explained. "First, King Troy told me all about this person that I wish I hadn't heard about."

"Who?"

"I was _about_ to tell you," Maddie told her irritably. "It was some creep he called The Darkness."

"You mean like the darkness stuff he uses to make things disappear all the time?" Peach asked in terror. "It's a person?"

"Sort of," Maddie replied, sounding annoyed again. "It's actually more like a really horribly deformed animal. I can't tell you much, but you'd have to meet her to know what I'm talking about."

"But can you explain it to me?" Peach persisted.

"You know, this would be a lot better if you just stopped talking," Maddie told her, her eyes mere slits. Peach nodded. "_Anyway_, do you remember Kat and Violon?"

Peach nodded again.

"It turned out that there was some mishap with Kat, and…well, I really shouldn't tell you what happened, but afterwards, Mario ended up getting the Cloud Fragment and now The Darkness is loose," Maddie explained.

"What about Violon? Was she okay?" Peach asked.

"Well, it was-no," Maddie cut her off.

"But what happened to her?" Peach persisted once again. She was never one to let go of a subject until she got an answer.

"I'm not supposed to disclose what happened to her, really," Maddie replied nervously. "Orders of King Troy. I'm not allowed to tell anyone else in the castle, especially not you…I mean, I can't even be down here."

Peach looked down at the floor. "So what you're saying is that what Troy says matters so much more to you than me or Mario that you can't tell me _anything?_"

"I can't really-it's complicated-I think you're…" Maddie stammered. Peach glared at her.

"I thought you weren't bound by Troy, okay?" she said, her arms crossed. "I thought you weren't like that, you get it?"

Maddie looked hopelessly down at her clasped hands.

"My mistake," Peach muttered.

"I'm just not allowed to tell anyone, not even Twink-" Maddie put her hands to her mouth.

"Twink?" Peach repeated incredulously. "Twink is working for Troy?"

"Sort of," Maddie answered. "He's sort of King Troy's not-very-good-friend who listens to his problems and pretends to care. He can't leave the castle, though, because King Troy knows he'd just tell Mario about our plans."

Peach grinned deviously at her.

"I know that kind of look," Maddie sighed. "You've got one thing out of me, so now you won't take no for answer. Isn't that right?"  
Peach nodded, not altering the look on her face.

"Fine," Maddie conceded. "First of all, Kat was The Darkness in disguise. Kat herself didn't know, but The Darkness did. And something just snapped in Kat's mind when Mario started telling her about how King Troy didn't care about her or Violon, and she just kind of gave up. That's when The Darkness took over."

"Oh gosh, that's horrible!" Peach gasped.

"It was," Maddie agreed. "And once The Darkness fled back up here, Mario and King Troy had a big fight, during which…King Troy killed Violon."

"What?" Peach cried. Maddie motioned for her to be quiet. She breathed deeply before continuing. "I knew Troy was a monster, but not like that. I just can't stand him!"

Maddie bit her lip. "Well, now that The Darkness is here, King Troy wants to take her power out on Mario. I'm not sure why, because technically, its power isn't nearly strong in animal form as it is when it's in the form of that black stuff King Troy uses to destroy things. I'm scared of what else he might have thought of, but his lips suddenly sealed shut when I asked why he was going about his plan the way he was."

"But I thought being his second-in-command would mean he would tell you everything," Peach protested.

"I wish," Maddie sighed again. "But he's very particular and secretive. I'm probably lucky to have been told as much as I was."

"Can you still get me out of here before he starts this wacky plan of his?" Peach asked hopefully.

"I might," Maddie answered. "But the only way I could help you escape without anyone catching us would be at night. King Troy has a system that everyone who is not supposed to be at a post is supposed to be in bed. He wants to makes sure no one falls asleep at their post. And anyone who's not either at a post or sleeping gets fired."

"Freaky," Peach murmured.

"I'm usually a day patrol person, so I would have to pretend I was asleep and then help you. Because I promise you, princess, King Troy thinks of _everything_ when it comes to preventing escape. I'm actually one of the only soldiers who knows of all his traps."

"How do you know?" Peach asked curiously.

Maddie opened her mouth and then snapped it shut. Hesitantly, she answered, "I was held prisoner here once."

"Why?" Peach asked, sounding surprised and interested.

"I didn't used to be part of his army," Maddie replied. "I tried to get to King Troy to negotiate for something, but I was captured. For some reason King Troy let me go and appointed me as a soldier. I never asked why, I just accepted it."

A small device behind her ear suddenly began beeping. "Oh, princess, I have to leave," she explained. "King Troy wants to see me again, and if I don't go, he might get suspicious."

"Sure thing," Peach replied. "See you soon."

Maddie turned and rushed out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Peach lay down on her bed and thought. Maddie having been a prisoner was the newest of secrets she would have to think about. Things were getting much more complicated.

**:::::**

"I hate this stupid plane, and I hate the airplane food, and I hate the tiny seats, and I hate the stupid luggage falling on-OOF!"

"Lord Bowser, are you okay?" Kammy cried next to him.

"Fine," Bowser answered, picking the large green bag back up and stuffing it on the luggage rack. "What did they pack in there, rocks? And when are we gonna get to the stupid desert anyway?"

"Please calm down, Your Impatientness," Kammy pleaded. "We'll be there soon, I promise. And we'll definitely beat that greedy Mario to the Cloud Fragment this time."

"You had better be right, Kammy," Bowser growled, "because I think if we ride this thing too much longer, the next time I see this seat is gonna be in one of my X-rays."

"Lord Bowser…" Kammy said nervously. "You _do_ know that we need to take the plane again to get back to Paratonis, right?"

"What?" Bowser shouted. "I don't _want_ to take this stupid plane again! I hate it!"

"Lord Bowser, please be quiet," Kammy told him. "You're drawing stares."

"Whatever!" Bowser replied. "I just want to get that Cloudy thingy and-"

He was interrupted by a loud crash from outside, followed by what sounded like a steady release of air.

"Please remain calm, passengers," a voice ordered over the intercom. "We are experiencing technical difficulties which force us to land the plane. We apologize for any inconvenience. We will be landing in Sorrel City forthwith."

"Where?" Bowser asked confusedly.

"Sorrel City," Kammy answered. "It's an empire. The current emperor, Dolas, rose to power not long ago because he had obtained a very special jewel. Who knows, it could be a Cloud Fragment."

"I sure hope so." Bowser nodded decidedly. "But if it means getting off this plane, I don't really care."

"It's not that bad, Your Complainingness," Kammy insisted.

"It is too, and you know it!" Bowser disagreed.

"Yes, sir."

**:::::**

**_Finally_ got it done! Chapter four is officially OVER! WOOT! We'll be starting chapter five next time! I'm so happy! Sort of, anyway. I didn't really like chapters one or three, and I don't like five much either. But the others I like.**

**Of course, I hope chapter five will be okay, because I want the entire story to go well.**

**So tell me what you thought of this part, and I'll be back soon.**

**See ya!**


	50. Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats: Part I

**Hi, guys, it's me, Fred. Fred-dude. Or something. Anyway, it's FINALLY FRICKIN TIME for chapter five of this story. I'm glad, too, because we're going to be having a really cool partner this time. Eventually. And lots of fun new characters.**

**By the way, you will come to recognize some of these characters as representations of real people…FROM THE PAST!**

**By the way, I do not own the movie series _Alien_, I just wanted to put that in since I saw the third one Saturday.**

**And don't worry, you'll find out the reason for the weird title of this chapter soon enough. You might know what it's about, you might not, but just wait. I'll explain for those who don't get it after the chapter is all the way over.**

**Anyway, let's finally get going.**

**:::::**

Mario sat with half-closed eyes. The plane was taking forever to get to Sorrel. Jovi had already warned them that it would be about a half an hour behind schedule, and at this point it would be around another forty minutes before they got there.

"Move faster…move faster…" Snow, being the only one of his partners still awake, had been chanting these words over and over for at least twenty minutes, pushing her hands in front of her each time she said them.

"Why do you _have_ to keep doing that?" Mario finally asked.

"Because chanting makes it important!" the Toadette replied defensively. "And I don't hate air travel any less than I will in fifteen years, you know!"

Looking out the window, the plumber saw a small forest fly by, dressed in calm yellows and reds. He guessed it must be fall around here; it was a long way from here to Paratonis. It was relaxing to look at. As the last few trees passed, Mario felt an odd shake below his seat. Looking underneath it, he saw a small dent in the floor. It looked almost entirely spherical. Dismissing it as a problem for maintenance, he closed his eyes all the way.

Suddenly the plane shook again. It seemed to come from the ceiling. Looking up in worry, Mario blinked a few times.

The top of the plane burst open in a beautiful but all the same horrifying display of shrapnel and clouds. Mario looked up again and saw the reason for the burst. The Darkness was grinning evilly at him, her eyes resembling stars, her pupils literally non-existent. "There you are!" she laughed. "I've got a knife…now give me your fingers! I'll warn you, I can't do this as well as Bishop does!"

Putting the question of why the deformed rabbit child would be inserting random pop culture references into the conversation aside, Mario screamed and leaped out of his seat. The Darkness reached down slowly like an evil giant in a fairytale and grasped him in her snake arm. "I've got you now!" she giggled. Mario stared at her in complete trepidation and panic.

"Now let's see," The Darkness mused. "How can I torture you first? I think I'll start with that goofy moustache of yours! What an idiotic accessory. Then I'll give a well-needed nose job…I mean, is that real or did you buy it at a clown store? Seriously! And then-"

Mario shot up in his seat and let out a blood-curdling shriek. Most of his partners followed suit. "What happened?" Goomessa cried.

Mario looked at her and screamed again. Pointing at the ceiling, he continued to howl. Suddenly silencing himself in realization, he clamped his jaws shut. "So she's _not_ coming to get us?" he asked to no one in particular.

"No, she's not," Goomessa answered understandingly. On the other hand, Snow's eyes were twitching, Koopetto was fiercely clutching his ears, Fluzz was staring at Mario, and Wishes was looking around confusedly, as though just having woken up.

"What the shrieking plastic melting angel dolls was that all about?" Snow shouted in a creepy, low, scratchy voice that didn't suit her. Koopetto stared amusedly at the Toadette.

"Bad dream, okay?" Mario answered.

"Yeah, that happens _a lot_ with you," Snow seethed.

"She's not wrong," Koopetto agreed, shrugging.

"Snow, don't be a jerk," Goomessa ordered.

"Well, ex_cuse_ me for wanting to get some sleep!" Snow shouted.

"It's the plane talking," Goomessa assured. "We'll be off this wingding in ten minutes, so just calm down."

Snow crossed her arms. "Okay, fine," she conceded, "but it's still annoying."

Presently, the intercom beeped a few times. Mario looked at the speakers in confusion. "I'm sorry about that, passengers," Jovi told them. "We had some technical difficulties. We just got a message about a cash landing a couple of hours ago. We'll have to ask you to wait for a few minutes while we chose an ideal landing space that allows us to preserve the structure and radio frequencies of the other plane. Now, I would like-"

A long string of feedback interrupted her. "Wait, did they get that?" Jovi asked someone else, but it could be heard over the intercom. "No? But I was-oh…But the light is-" More feedback. "Okay, are we good? Good. Okay, I apologize for that little defect, passengers. We're having problems, but I assure you that you are all perfectly safe. In approximately six minutes, we will be arriving in Sorrel City. Now, make sure that-" Once again, the speakers failed. Crackling could be heard throughout the room. "-seat belts," Jovi suddenly finished.

"That was reassuring," Wishes muttered. "I really don't want to crash."

"I wonder if Sorrel is the same now that we're back here," Fluzz said, fidgeting in his seat.

"Well, if it is, we'll know who to look for," Mario replied. Goomessa chuckled.

After a few minutes, the plane suddenly came to a screeching halt, sending Mario flying forward into the next seat. Whatever Jovi had said about seat belts, she must have been saying nonsense, because unfortunately there was nothing of the sort on Ferris Airlines.

Jovi thanked the passengers for riding and told them they were stopped at Sorrel City and all that junk Mario was by now too lazy to listen to.

The first thing the party noticed was that the town was exactly as they had left it. Almost everyone looked bored and was dressed in gray rags. The citizens stared at the party as they strolled quickly through the airport and out into the city.

Mario looked around and took a deep breath of moldy air. "This place is still horrible," he remarked.

"You're telling me," Snow agreed.

"I guess we should find out if anyone here knows about the Fragments," Mario decided. "But how we'll do that…"

Some random Ratooey in a fancy white tuxedo and a matching beret suddenly walked gingerly up to them and shoved a yellow poster into Mario's hands. "Five year anniversary! Come see it! Five year anniversary! Don't miss it!"

"Five year anniversary of what?" Mario demanded, examining the poster carefully.

"Do you live under a rock?" the Ratooey asked, sneering at the plumber. "Read the poster."

"That's what I'm doing," Mario murmured. The poster showed a photograph of a large group-at least twenty people-of what were quite likely performers bowing to a very large well-dressed audience. The two Boos in front caught Mario's attention. The one on the left was obviously female, dressed in a small red velvet dress that did not have sleeves but a two-piece veil over her "shoulders". The other one was male, decked out in an outfit that would have been identical to his companion's if it were not blue, and if it did not have a robe-like rather than dress-like bottom. What struck Mario was that instead of the traditional white or purple, the female Boo was an auburn color, whereas the male one was almost cream. He could swear one of them-he didn't know which one-looked very familiar. Above the photograph, in small sloppy white letters, read, "Five year anniversary", and below it, "JaySand tragedy".

"JaySand?" Mario asked to no one in particular. "What the heck?" The Ratooey had already left, so he couldn't ask, but the plumber decided to keep the poster. "Let's just find someone who can tell us about the Cloud Fragments."

"I think maybe if anyone knows about them, Dolas and Trudy should," Koopetto suggested. "Besides, I'd like to meet them, just to see what they're like."

"Probably like an evil tyrant and his depressed sidekick," Mario answered, sounding moderately annoyed. "But I guess you're probably right."

"Hello there!" called a very unnecessarily happy-sounding voice. Mario whipped around to see the source of the voice, though he already knew who it was. Hane the Duplighost came quickly trotting towards them with all of his dental tools-which, upon closer examination, Mario found to be merely plastic. "I'm here to give a fantastic-"

"Spare me the riot act, Hane," Mario ordered. "I really don't want you to clean our teeth, okay? I actually have a question for you."

"And what might that be?" Hane asked angrily and in a low voice, so that it sounded like hissing. "It better be important."

"It is," Mario assured. "I'd like to know, if one was to go to Dolas and Trudy and speak to them about something, how would they get there?"

Hane stared at him like he was an alien. "_Why_ would you ever go to talk to Dolas and Trudy? I'm just speaking my mind here…but you would have to be insane or have some serious death wish going on."

"We need to ask them about something we've been looking for," Mario answered simply.

"Well, what is it?" Hane prompted.

"It's called a Cloud Fragment," Mario answered, though unsure about whether he should be disclosing this to an almost complete stranger.

"Cloud Fragment?" Hane repeated, an astonished look on his face. "My friend…Jazz talks about those a lot. He's really nice, and I'm sure that if you were to explain your predicament to him, he'd tell you about them. He might even help you find them."

"Great," Mario agreed. "Can you take us to him?"

"He should be…" the Duplighost trailed off, looking around nearby. "Oh, there. Jazz!"

Jazz the Boo floated towards them with a questioning look on his face. "What is it, Hane?"

"These people want to know about the Cloud Fragments," Hane answered.

"And we'd like to know if there are any here," Mario finished. "Could you help us?"

"Of course," Jazz replied, smiling. "Come with me."

The party followed him into a nearby house. It was very large and very well decorated. Mario was quite impressed. "Please, sit," Jazz requested. "I'll tell you what I know."

Mario nodded and complied.

"Now," Jazz began, "you obviously know about the Cloud Fragments…so what exactly do you know?"

"Well, we have four of them with us right now," Mario replied. "We know all about Plathora and Troy and everything like that. We really just need to know if there's one here."

"Well, actually, yes there is," Jazz told him. "Dolas and Trudy, our rulers, have one. It's how they came to power."

"I totally called it!" Koopetto laughed, jumping out of his seat. Everyone stared at him. "I'm so sorry…" he said, sitting back down slowly.

"Anyway," Jazz continued, "if you can get to Dolas and Trudy, you _should_ be able to convince them to let you have it. But it's a long way down Minstrel Trail. And it's littered with monsters and other sad sorts."

"We can handle that," Mario assured him. "We've seen that all before. But you say it should be easy to make Dolas and Trudy give me the Fragment?"

"It should," Jazz confirmed. "But you know…they actually have a debt to pay to me, and if I came with you, they'd _have_ to give it to you. Yeah, that should work. You wouldn't mind me tagging along, would you?"

"Of course not," Mario answered kindly. "If you don't mind me asking, what's the debt for?"

"I was a big part in making sure a lot of money went to them once," Jazz replied. "A _lot_ of money."

"How did you do that?" Goomessa asked.

"It was a big show a friend and I put on," Jazz answered, starting to sound uncomfortable.

Mario suddenly looked down at the floor. He knew one of the Boos on the poster looked familiar-it was most definitely Jazz. "You don't mean…this?" the plumber asked, pulling the poster out of his pocket and showing it to Jazz. The Boo gasped.

"How did you…" he trailed off. Mario could feel Jazz's air of anticipation and excitement ebb away. "Five years it's been, then. I can't believe it. Oh, Jay…"

"Is there a problem?" Snow asked irritably.

"I haven't thought about Jay in years," Jazz explained, tears forming in his eyes. "And now…"

Turning towards Mario again, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mario, but I can't come with you. I can't do anything productive," he nearly sobbed.

"Why do you say that?" Mario asked confusedly.

Jazz just sighed and retreated into a bedroom, dropping the poster along the way.

"He's a bit depressed," Hane told them. "You really shouldn't have brought it up."

"_You think?_" the entire party demanded sarcastically.

**:::::**

**And that's it for part one! I realize it's a bit short…and I'm pretty sure that chapter five, like chapter three, is going to be a bit shorter than usual.**

**But I still hope you liked this part. Tell me what you thought please!**

**See ya!**


	51. Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats: Part II

**Hi, guys! Time for part two of chapter five…and since I have absolutely NOTHING to say, I guess I'll just head off.**

**Remember that I don't own Mario or any of that junk.**

**And let's begin.**

**:::::**

"Hane, do you have any idea why Jazz went all emotional just now?" Mario asked once he'd gotten over being annoyed.

Hane bit his lip for a moment. "Well…I can't lie to someone so determined. Yes, I do know what's up with him."

"Can you tell us?" Mario prompted after a few seconds.

"I can," Hane replied, "but it's a sad story. I don't know that you really want to hear it."

"It's okay," Mario told him. "Sad stories aren't a problem for me."

"Trust me, dude," Hane insisted. "I can promise you you're going to cry if I tell you."

"I'm going to be fine," Mario answered. "We'll be okay, trust me."

Hane sighed very deeply and heavily, stretching it out as if to stall time. "Well, if you're really sure about it…"

"Just tell us the story already!" Snow shouted.

"Jazz, as he told you, was part of a show that was put on for Dolas and Trudy. But you know, that show wasn't the only one he put on. He was JazzBird," Hane explained. As he said the last word, he made a gesture with his arms that looked like a rainbow.

"JazzBird…" Goomessa repeated. "I've heard that before. Where have I heard that before?"

"JazzBird and JaySand's Travelling Circus? Ring a bell?" Hane asked.

"Oh, of course!" Snow laughed. "I knew them! We were like…close-ish friends."

"They're really awesome!" Goomessa giggled, trying to stifle her excitement.

"They _were _pretty cool," Koopetto agreed. "But the girl was such a diva."

"I have no idea who they are," Fluzz said, completely ruining the air of rush and surprise and happiness. Everyone stared at him for a moment before looking back at Hane.

"I'm familiar with their work," Wishes. "They're pretty good. But didn't the circus disappear off the face of the Earth…what, five years ago?"

"Yes, it did," Hane confirmed. "First of all, Jazz isn't his real name. It's actually Jazzefi, but no one knows that. His full name is Jazzefi Burkel Jefferson, which got shortened to his stage name, JazzBird. It was the same with Jay. She was actually Jade Sandra Jefferson. Funny enough, everyone knew _her_ name. They were brother and sister. Jazz and Jay Jefferson…the newspapers said it was something out of a comic strip.

"Jay and Jazz ran the circus together. They had lots of good friends who traveled with them in the circus. It was actually very fun. They were a good pair, albeit one that was frequently mistaken for a married couple…Anyway, they did comedy and sometimes sang. It was all quite a cute act.

"Today is actually the five year anniversary of their last performance. It took place here. The purpose of the show was to gather revenue for Sorrel City. The current rulers were losing money, so Jazz and Jay offered a show that wouldn't cost them, but that would get them lots of money from the citizens of Sorrel. It had to be a wonderful show."

Hane stopped there, staring at the floor. Mario looked expectantly at him. "And?" he asked.

"I really don't want to say more. Jazz and I still have the newspaper from that day, though," Hane told him.

"Well, could you get it?" Mario requested.

"Hold your high horses, dude! I'm getting it!"

Mario blinked. "Hane, I think 'high horse' and 'hold your horses' are two different expresssions-"

"Whatever!"

Hane searched quickly through a box of what appeared to be various mementos and special possessions. Mario guessed that Jazz had kept many souvenirs from the many locations the circus had performed at. Some of the other objects were obviously Jazz's as well, which could easily be identified by their exoticness, such as the snow globe that depicted a large piano in a sandbox with leaves and sand taking the place of the snow. Other objects that were especially odd-looking or random were probably Hane's, like the porcelain statue of what looked like Los Angeles.

"I know it's in here somewhere-oh, here it is!" Hane cut himself off, taking from the box a large newspaper with many rips and tears in it. "This is the paper from August 3, 2005. Here you go." He handed the paper to Mario to read. "Front page, section two."

"Okay, let's see…" Mario began looking through the paper to find section two, which was very misplaced, though Mario wasn't surprised seeing as it had been there for five years. "Dog who thinks he can drive, celebrity kitten rescued from tree, abstract art proposal, St. Mount Sommet Peak eruption…"

"Hey, wait, aren't these all things that happened, like, five years ago?" Snow asked confusedly. Then a look of realization came over her face. "Oh, yeah…"

"Is she _always_ this dumb?" Hane whispered to Mario.

"You get used to it," Mario answered. "Oh, I found it! Burn, Baby, Burn," he read from the title of the article. "What's that all about?"

"It was Jay's catchphrase," Hane replied. "Jazz's was: so cool ice cubes get jealous. The phases were like their trademarks."

"Let's see…" Mario glanced over the article began to read. "'The famed JazzBird and JaySand's Travelling Circus was closed after a major tragedy yesterday. The spunky but charming girl of the popular duo, Jade Sandra Jefferson, died in a horrible accident. The press is still trying to get details, but we'll explain as well as we can.

"'The circus was to perform yesterday for a tremendous audience, including Stella Uxie, the ruler of Sorrel City. The show was to gather a large sum for the Sorrilean government. It was imperative that they get a great turnout, because the government was quickly losing finances. The circus members had agreed with Stella that they would not be receiving any pay for this show, and Ms. Uxie was more than happy to accept their offer.

"'When the show began, it was clear that their goal had been achieved several times over and then some; a huge number of people came to the show in the Crima Mansion in Sorrel. It was easy to admire the circus members, for if they had demanded a fee for performing for such a large audience, they would be receiving a lot of money. But even when Stella asked if they would change their mind, still they refused to be paid.

"'Jade Jefferson had a habit of using the social network Hellonet to tell her fans everything that went on in her life. "I get on the Internet around every ten minutes to tell them what's going on," she admitted, "but I'm not ashamed. I want people to know what's happening, you know what I mean?" Far be it from this reporter to cast aspersions on frequenting a social network, and we wouldn't disagree anyway.

"'The show began very successfully. The circus performed a large number of acts, including a close escape from inside a locked box in a diving tank, a comedy skit poking fun at modern fairytales, and a mock mystery involving an arson. It was all fun.

"'Until the last act. The act consisted of Jazz leading Jay around on a leash like a dog through a collection of hoops, tunnels, and poles. A ring of torches surrounded them, flaring beautifully-and dangerously. At one fatal turn, Jay tossed her feet at one of the torches, knocking it over and sending flames across the ground. This would have been rather inconsequential, as the circus had a perfectly capable sprinkler system, if it had not been that the flames had headed straight for a collection of explosives. These were going to be used in the show before Jazz decided they were too dangerous to take chances in a show this important.

"'Now, before the act, Jay had Hellonetted her fans saying that her dress with a shoulder veil was quite constricting. This did not bode well with what occurred next. The explosives went off with a loud crash, sending debris flying towards audience and performers alike. Jazz was able to dodge falling rocks easily (and luckily the rest of the performers were outside the tent because they were not currently acting). His sister was not so lucky.

"'Jay was trapped beneath falling rubble, which was also extremely scalding. The left side of her cowl was wrapped around her neck, cutting off circulation to her head. With her left arm crushed and her right arm stuck under her, Jay was unable to remove either obstacle.

"'No one knew Jay was trapped until Jazz directed a head count of everyone who had made it outside. He was horrified to find that Jay was still inside and took two performers with him to find her. It wasn't difficult; Jay lay unconscious in the very middle of the tent. Jazz and others rushed her to the hospital immediately.

"'Various doctors treated third-degree burns and conducted CPR as quickly as possible, and in just hours, Jay made a partial recovery. Fans were very excited to see her getting better.

"'But it was not to be. Around two in the morning today Jay suddenly developed severe bronchitis and eventually heart failure. Jazz was given the decision of whether to keep her on fluids and machines to try to get her to recover again. He asked for a moment with his sister, during which we believe Jay told him to turn the machines off. Right before this happened, two things happened: first, the girl made one last Hellonet post: "I've got a couple of minutes left. Don't cry for me. I would have wanted to go all heroic like this. Thank you for your time, Jade Sandra Jefferson." The second thing was that Jay ordered Jazz to shut down the circus. We can assume he agreed.

"'Despite this tragic accident, which obviously caused failure in revenue, a large number of fans donated money for medical bills, which, under Jazz's request, were given to Ms. Uxie instead. Stella was not expecting this, but she vows to repay Jazz somehow.

"'A memorial service will be held for Jade on August 10, and a funeral will be held on the 14th.'"

Goomessa began to sob. Koopetto shut his eyes and turned away. Snow simply frowned and stared at the floor. Fluzz's mouth hung open, as though he was still trying to process this revelation. Wishes floated to Goomessa's side to calm her.

Mario himself dropped the newspaper, leaving it to drift to the floor. "I can't believe this," he breathed.

"And it gets worse," Hane told him. "He lived in a very dysfunctional family. After Jay's death, his mother, Francine, spun into a deep depression. His father Cosafalo left them and took a train to nowhere. And the rest of their extended family deserted them, knowing that the gold mine that was JazzBird and JaySand's Travelling Circus would no longer be available."

"Wow," Mario sighed. "That's just horrible."

"So now you see why Jazz doesn't want to come with you," Hane said quietly. "I really don't think you should try to make him do it either. I mean, sure, Dolas and Trudy will probably say no if he doesn't, but…"

"But Hane, you don't understand," Mario persisted. "This is really important to us. I know Jazz feels terrible, but this is kind of a predominant issue right now."

"I understand completely," Hane said, smiling.

"So you'll go talk to him?"

Hane's eyes widened. After a few moments he sighed exasperatedly. "Fine."

He walked down the hall to the bedroom Jazz had rushed into. Trying to open it, he discovered it was locked. "He locked it," the Duplighost called.

Mario joined him at the end of the hall. "Jazz, please open the door," he pleaded.

"Never!" Jazz yelled. "If you haven't read the newspaper, then read it! And if you have…then get out! There is _nothing_ about a world that would let Jay die like that that I want to remember!"

"But you agreed to come with me just five minutes ago!" Mario protested.

"That was before I was so brutally reminded of what a horrible brother I am!" Jazz cried.

"He'll never come out," Hane told him. "I would just stop trying and save my breath."

Mario sighed. "Okay, then. Come on, guys, we're going to Crima Mansion to see a couple of friends."

"Sure thing, Mario," Goomessa replied, tears slightly ceasing to stream down her face.

"Whatever you say," Koopetto said uncertainly.

"Uh-huh," Snow answered, not sounding the least bit interested.

"If you wish, I'll give you a personal escort to the end of Sorrel City. But I can't follow past there. Minstrel Trail isn't a fun place. But you can handle the monsters there, can't you?" Hane asked.

"Of course we can," Mario assured him. "And thanks for everything. Hopefully Jazz comes to his senses. I would hate to live in the same house as him if he kept up that attitude."

"Oh, it isn't a problem," Hane said, shrugging. "I've learned to just tune him out when he goes on his rants like these."

"Good for you…"

**:::::**

**I think we'll quit there. I know it was also kind of short, but things get better in the next part, I promise.**

**So tell me what you thought please, and…**

**See ya!**


	52. Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats: Part III

**Hey, peoples and peoplettes.**

**Shut up, you don't know that isn't a word.**

**Well, actually it's not, so I'm sorry for insulting you.**

**Anyway, here we are. You know what you're reading, I hope. I'm Frederic Marile, bad luck extraordinaire, weird stuff collector, writer, sunburn central, songwriter, and Owl city, Lady Gaga, and Big Time Rush obsessed (I know, three COMPLETELY different bands, but what are you gonna do?).**

**So just remember that the cat sleeps in the bath-wait, that's the wrong card. So just remember that I do not own anything. Yeah, that was it.**

**Let's go.**

**:::::**

"What a depressing guy," Goomessa remarked. "I mean, I know he's sad over what happened, but it _was_ five years ago, and we _do_ have important things going on."

The party had agreed that they would be able to find Minstrel Trail on their own. Hane had then politely seen them out, and they were now sitting around outside, wondering what to do. After thinking for a while, Mario decided it was best to leave bad enough alone.

"We'll just have to go to Dolas and Trudy and get the Cloud Fragment from them without him," Mario told her.

"I love your enthusiasm, but it's…not that simple," Wishes told him. Mario stared at him. "My father used to work for Stella right before Dolas took his position as ruler," the Star explained.

"So since you're sure of yourself, why isn't it that simple?" Mario asked.

"Well, first of all, Dolas and Trudy came to power with the Cloud Fragment itself. They don't have any real leadership skills, they aren't good speakers in the slightest, and they're generally just mean. The Fragment is the only reason they are what they are. Secondly, they hid the Cloud Fragment in the very bottom basement of Crima Mansion. They need lots of signatures and permission from obscure people before they can even think about letting _anyone_, even themselves, down to the basement. In short, if we don't have someone who can get Dolas and Trudy to do whatever they want, it's going to be really hard to get the Cloud Fragment, no matter what we do."

"Well, thank you, Mr. Over-explainer," Snow muttered.

"This puts things into a completely different perspective, doesn't it?" Mario sighed. "I thought Dolas and Trudy could do what they wanted to. I didn't realize they were so bound by rules."

"But will they agree even if we get the permission from all those people, is the question," Koopetto put in.

"I guess we'll just have to go to the mansion and try to convince them," Mario suggested. "It can't be too hard, right?"

**:::::**

The party had luckily stocked up on supplies before making their way to Minstrel Trail. And they proved smart to have done so. The trail was very dark and eerie. Careful not to step on anything, wary of anything that might jump out at them, making sure they didn't make any sudden movements, they gang slowly advanced.

The forest was also very tall and condescending. It seemed as though the trees were angry at the party for daring to go through the forest. "I can see why no one would want to go to Crima Mansion," Koopetto said.

"This place just reeks of suspense, doesn't it?" Goomessa commented.

"Yeah, it does," Mario agreed. "I hope nothing particularly hostile lives here."

Unfortunately his hopes didn't come quite close to the truth. Presently they began to meet up with various forest enemies, such as Koopas and Piranha Plants, but also some Mario wouldn't have expected to appear, like Bandits and Clefts. He knew these enemies well enough that it wasn't hard to defeat them. Some of them traveled in groups, but nothing to strong to defeat a party of six working together. The enemies generally didn't pose too much of a challenge to Mario and his partners, but there were so many of them that the party was still a bit weary by the time they saw what looked like the end of the trail.

"Finally!" Fluzz cried happily. "We're here!"

"All that's left is to go see-" Goomessa began.

Mario suddenly looked straight up. "Wait," he ordered. "Something doesn't feel-"

"Looking for someone?" a sad but spiteful voice called from above. Mario's eyes widened as a yellow figure dropped from above the clouds and hit the ground with a grimace and a small quake. "You didn't think you getting off easy, did you Mario?" she asked wistfully.

"Screech, you're not going to get us, trust me," Mario told her, assuming a fighting position with his hammer brandished.

"Wait a minute!" Wishes ordered. "This doesn't make sense! Kat and Violon are gone! Dead and gone! Why are you guys still bugging us?"

"Well, we just work for Troy now," Screech answered darkly. "And we're going to do whatever it takes to stop you."

"Let's see…" Goomessa murmured, looking through her Tattle Log. "Oh, here. Yellow Screech. She's the third in Dark Rainbow, designed to be stronger and faster than Orange Hook. Max Hp is 15, attack is 2, and defense is 3. She trades attack and health capacity for defense and agility, but although she looks sad all of the time, it doesn't mean she isn't strong."

"You bet it doesn't," Screech mumbled. Leaping backward in a somersault that looked very anatomically incorrect, she pulled a bow and arrows from her pockets. "Goodbye, Mario," she whispered, flinging an arrow at the plumber.

Mario ducked just in time to have the arrow catch his hat instead of his head, running up to Screech and beginning to swing his hammer at her. His partners quickly joined, attempting to hit her with whatever they had. But Screech was quick. Almost everything the party tried missed, and almost everything she did landed. No matter what they did, Screech had jacked up reflexes and blazing accuracy.

"Okay, plan," Mario told his partners, and they formed a tight circle to listen to him without Screech hearing. "She can see anywhere, so we need to come at her from everywhere. If we go at her it all directions, she can only attack one of us at a time, and then only for a second."

The party then ran at Screech, forming a circle around her this time and throwing their best attacks at her. Though they had difficulty getting through her high defense, it was apparent she was being damaged. In a panic, she tries to attack Mario for a few moments, and though she was making contact, her arrows were definitely not strong enough to faze the plumber. So Screech turned to each of his partners and continued to shoot her arrows, but they mostly dodged them easily. Screech starting breathing heavily and her attempts to attack became more labored. "But how…" she sighed. "I can't die…I'm supposed to keep going, no matter what…"

Suddenly she shook her head and jumped out of the circle. "It's a good thing I brought this," she said gloomily, pulling from her pocket a large bottle of some yellow liquid. Opening her mouth, she poured the entire down her throat. After a few moments, a glow began to appear around her. She also appeared to completely heal before Mario's eyes. "You'll never get me now," she told him.

Mario rushed towards her and tried to whack her, but his hammer bounced back at him, making a sickening clang as it did so. "I'm too strong for you," she explained.

"Not for long," the plumber retorted, grinning. Taking from his pockets the Cloud Fragment he'd received from Smudgey once again, he held it in the air. Screech stared at it, having no idea what was going on. A familiar blue pillar of light beamed over the entire party, and Mario suddenly felt like he could do anything. Directing all of that energy into his hands, he began to whack Screech harder than he thought possible. His partners rushed to join him, all attacking Screech with the force of…well, six people on steroids.

Before long, Screech literally croaked, falling ceremoniously to the ground. "I've failed," she sobbed. "You can't do this to us, Mario. I…ugh…I bid you goodbye for now…but you won't get all of us…"

With that, a bolt of black lightning crashed over her and took her away.

"Three down! Yes!" Goomessa cheered. "Now we don't have anything stopping us for now."

"Finally," Mario muttered. "Now let's get out of this place already so we can get Dolas and Trudy to say yes."

**:::::**

Crima Mansion was beautiful to say the least. It was the largest building Mario had ever personally witnessed, and he felt there must be at least one hundred rooms. The place was mostly white, but jewels lined all of the windows and the front door, ranging from rubies to sapphires to pure diamonds. The mansion itself appeared to be made from marble and some crystal. "Whoa…" was all Mario could say.

"I know," Snow agreed. "This is better than _my_ house, and that's, like…weird."

The party walked inside quietly, as though not to disturb the reverent yet expensive air of the place.

Inside, the mansion was even fancier. The floor was ceramic tile. Two tables with glasses of some drink lay next to the doors. Statues of past leaders lined the walls. Pictures of what Mario assumed were Dolas's henchmen were hung on the wall furthest from the entrance. A giant entrancing chandelier brightened the room immensely. "And again…whoa," Mario laughed.

"What business do you have here?" bellowed a loud voice from across the room. Mario had just noticed the oak desk below the portraits. The hall was so long it looked quite small.

Mario and his partners walked to the end of the hall to see who had spoken. At the desk sat a Lakitu in a blue tunic and lighter blue alpine. "What do you need in Crima Mansion?" he asked accusingly.

"We would like to speak to Dolas," Mario replied.

After scrutinizing the party some more, the Lakitu nodded. "Follow me," he ordered. He floated off down a hall to the left. Mario shrugged and followed.

The smaller hall was as easy to admire as the entrance. An ornate red carpet lined the floor, and the walls were clean cut diamonds, painted brown as if to appear wooden. More portraits were hung on the walls, though Mario couldn't be sure who they were. The Lakitu led them down a long collection of halls before stopping in a room that looked like an old abandoned office. Sitting at another oak desk was a small Squeek in a gray tweed suit, who looked up from some paperwork at the Lakitu when they walked in. Standing next to it was a Koopa girl in a glittery pink dress staring off into space.

"Good afternoon, Dell," the Squeek greeted the Lakitu in a low voice that, considering his small stature, was odd to hear. "Who are these people?"

"Well, Sir Dolas, I…don't exactly know. Who are you again?"

"My name is Mario," Mario announced. "And these are my friends, Goomessa, Koopetto, Snow, Fluzz, and Wishes. So you are Dolas? But who are the rest of you?"

"Charming…and yes I am," Dolas muttered.

"I'm Trudy," the Koopa girl explained with an odd gleam in her eyes.

"And I'm Dell, Dolas's _second-in-command,_" the Lakitu told him.

"Hey, _I'm_ his second-in-command!" Trudy disagreed.

"No, you're his third-in-command!" Dell shouted.

"Shut up already!" Dolas ordered. "Anyway, why are you people here? What do you have to say to me?"

Mario bit his lip, suddenly unable to come up with an explanation. He decided he would just tell them the whole truth.

"Well?" the Koopa girl prompted in a high but sugary voice.

"Quiet, Trudy," Dolas ordered.

"Well, I sort of have an issue which requires me to obtain the Cloud Fragment," Mario explained. "As soon as possible, too."

Dolas and Trudy stared at him for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Needs the Cloud Fragment!" Trudy giggled, cupping her hand over her mouth.

"As if!" Dolas chuckled disdainfully. "I mean, do you seriously think you can get something that important just by saying, 'Oh, hi, I'm some random plumber guy and I want your fancy artifact just because'?"

"This is important, though!" Mario protested.

"Yeah, and so are fish sticks in clam cheese, but I don't steal that from storage either!" Trudy retorted. Everybody stared at her.

"Yes, you do," Dolas reminded her.

"Oh, yeah," Trudy mumbled before staring at the ceiling.

"_Anyway_," Dolas continued, standing up in his seat (even though it didn't make him much taller), "I can't let you have our Cloud Fragment. It belongs specifically to me."

"Ahem," Trudy coughed irritably.

"Specifically to us," Dolas corrected himself. "And we would never let you have it. You know why?"

"Because you can't get it without permission," Goomessa muttered.

"How did you know that?" Dolas demanded.

"Because a special friend told us," Mario answered, seeing a way to corner the mouse into giving in. "A friend named Jazz. And he said that you have a debt to pay to him, and that it's going to be that Cloud Fragment."

"Oh no, not the Jazz card!" Trudy cried. "Dolas, what are we going to do?"

"Trudy, wait," Dolas told her, though he sounded nervous as well. "What's Jazz's real name?"

"Jazzefi Burkel Jefferson," Mario answered confidently.

"How do you spell that?" Dolas asked.

Mario spelled it correctly and quickly.

"Aw, bunny ketchup!" Trudy gasped, clutching her blonde hair.

"Well, even if you _do_ know Jazz," Dolas began slowly and painfully, "I can't let you down without at least fifteen…no, ten at most personal signatures from some of the people who run Cybersun Incorporated, _plus_ Jazz's."

"Cybersun?" Goomessa repeated. "Don't they make lots of computers and junk like that? Why would you need permission from them?"

"And why would we need Jazz's signature along with theirs?" Mario continued.

"Well…" Dolas breathed nervously. "I'm going to answer your second question first. See, I think we can ignore a few of the other more minor signatures as long as we have Jazz's permission. They'll understand, I promise.

"And for your first question: here at Crima Mansion, we're mostly run by a computer project. We're not all a self-run organization. We get to use their computers for anything we want. Sure, we have to pay them a lot for it, but it's okay. Anyway, down in our bottom basement, we have a huge number of computers. Some of them are even artificially intelligent. We got enough money in the budget to get little people-looking things for them. We can talk to them whenever we want. Anyway, my favorite one is Tifford, who I've entrusted with the Cloud Fragment. But unfortunately, we need to have permission from the main guys at Cybersun to get down there."

"Can't you just call Tifford up here and ask for the Cloud Fragment?" Mario asked.

"I'm afraid not," Dolas answered. "We can bring his hologram up here, but he can't bring anything with him."

"Great," Mario muttered. "Then can you give us whatever contract you need those people to sign?"

"Sure, of course," Dolas agreed, waddling back to his desk and reaching a large stapled collection of papers out of it. "Look for the people whose names you can see here. Everyone will have to sign his or her name at least twice, and there's going to be a separate piece of paper for everyone who has to sign. Cybersun is in the very heart of Sorrel. It shouldn't be too hard to find-it's a really large building. And just have them sign the papers. And…if you possibly can, have them come here to see it all happen."

"Why would you want them to come?"

"Well, because frankly, we want to make sure you haven't forged the signatures," Dolas told him, suddenly looking serious. "It's not absolutely required, but it would be helpful. Now have a good time!"

"Yeah, I'll take Jerks Who Keep Having Complete Changes of Heart for two thousand, Alex," Mario muttered.

**:::::**

**There we are! I guess this one was longer by a little bit than the other two, so that's a good thing for me. Anyway, I want you to tell me what you thought, especially of Dolas and Trudy. DO ZEY REMIND YOU OF ANYBADEE?**

**By the way, that last line I came up with at the last second, so remember that I do not, in any way, shape, or form, own the CBS hit show Jeopardy.**

**Yeah. So have a nice day, and…**

**See ya!**


	53. Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats: Part IV

**Hey, dude people things. Freddie here. Cool? Not cool? Maybe? Maybe not? Same difference? Time for chapter five, part four. I'm **_**so**_** happy. But actually, I'm a little tired right now, so I might sound dumb and…you know, tired. Anyway, I don't own anything, yaddah yaddah yeck, let's go.**

**BUT WAIT before we start, I want to give a couple of shout-outs to some awesome people. **_**Three**_** awesome people, to be exact.**

**First of all, if you've never seen that one little guys's Paper Mario: The Temple of the Sun, well…**

**SHAME ON YOU! I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU FOR ONE MORE MINUTE!  
Until you read it. Which you have to. Nao.**

**Second, I want you to read Robin Smith's Croshi's story. Seriously, it's awesome.**

**And finally, read some of CherriEclipse's work. She's good.**

**:::::**

"Stupid Dolas," Snow muttered. "I hate this stupid forest, and I hate him…and I really hate Jazz for making us do all this."

"Why wouldn't we just tell him we needed to save the world?" Koopetto asked.

Snow stared at him. "Do you seriously have to ask? He would think we were crazy!"

"Yeah, but he might just believe us if we showed him all of the other Fragments," Koopetto replied scornfully.

"Okay, I've had enough arguing for one day," Mario stopped them. The party had left Crima Mansion (with Dell's help), and they were now trudging back through Minstrel Trail. On a day of annoyances and tediousness, going to Cybersun to get some signatures was just one more task they had been given by surprise. They had also seen many enemies, and by now, none of them were feeling quite like a million dollars. "I know it's been irritating to have to go all the way back to Sorrel, but it's for the best, right?"

"You know what would be for the best?" Wishes asked, his eyes twitching. "If I didn't have arrow welts. Arrow welts!"

"Yeah, but it's…" Mario trailed off, unable to console him.

"I have rashes in places you shouldn't physically be able to have a rash!" Goomessa complained.

Mario opened his mouth and held it for a moment. "I don't know how to respond to that," he told her. "But trust me, when this is all over, we'll be able to rest easy, won't we? It'll be real soon, I know."

"Not soon enough," Snow grumbled.

"Good, so we're okay," Mario said, addressing everyone. "Let's go."

So they made their way deliberately through the forest. Mario felt his partners would like to leave before something took an unexpected turn for the worse, so he walked quickly, wasting as little time as possible. The trees still seemed oddly menacing, and night was starting to come upon them, so Mario began walking even faster until he was barely short of running.

Finally they made it out, and considering they were on top of a plateau, Mario took a moment to look around. Sorrel was actually quite lovely at night. The town was much emptier now, which allowed for a better echo. Mario just now noticed the fountain at the center of town, which looked like it was made of real silver. A few nocturnal people sat lonely on the fountain, looking down at the ground. Some people were just walking inside, and generally house lights had been turned off. The half moon hung high in the sky, partly lighting up the dim night.

"It's…different," Goomessa commented. "Almost…nice."

"I agree," Koopetto said, nodding slightly.

"Maybe we'll also have the advantage that they'll have turned on a bunch of lights at Cybersun. That will help us find it," Mario suggested. "But let's get going. If it's as Dolas says, Cybersun shouldn't be too hard to find anyway."

The party made their way down the hill and began searching around. Mario walked up to a Toad pacing up and down an otherwise empty street. "Could you tell me where Cybersun Incorporated is?" he asked.

"Sure…" the Toad answered suspiciously. "It's up that road over there." He pointed off to the south. Mario looked in the direction of his finger and saw a long, narrow cobblestone road leading up to what was looked like a round lot of grass. In the very center of this was a large glass dome. Mario couldn't tell exactly what it was because tall trees surrounded the entire thing besides the walkway. "Though why you want to go there I'll never know…"

The party took off towards the glass dome, making especial haste in the excitement that came from knowing that they were almost completely finished getting this Cloud Fragment already.

At the top of the walkway, Mario stopped for a moment to take in a breath of fresh air. Just being inside some place would be enough to finally calm him down for a while. The sliding glass doors opened and Mario and his partners walked slowly inside.

Cybersun was marvelous. Looking behind him, Mario could see the trees and walkway outside as though the glass wasn't there. A white so bright Mario didn't know if it could even be called a color colored the floor. Various steel desks dotted the room. Many different species were sitting or walking around the room, conversing with each other and filling out forms. The place was absolutely boring and it was fantastic.

"Don't you get just a calm yet busy feeling in this place?" Goomessa remarked.

"I'll say," Koopetto replied.

"Definitely," Fluzz agreed.

"It almost makes me forget the horrible time we had in that forest," Snow mumbled peacefully.

"Now let's see…the first person we need to find is Herald Evian," Mario told his partners. Walking up to the closest desk, he put his hand on it to get its user's attention. "I'm looking for a directory or information," he requested.

"Well, stop looking," the Goomba said kindly. "What can I do you for?"

"Well, I need to find…ten people so I can have them sign this," Mario told him.

"Oh…" The Goomba nodded understandingly. "May I see the papers?"

Mario handed them to him. He read them all over, nodding after each one. "So you want to get to the basement, and old Dolas wants these signatures?"

"That's it," Mario confirmed.

"Well, every single one of these guys will be somewhere on Sublevel 3 of this place except for Truss T. He's going to be on the top floor; he's one of our chemical testers. The rest of them just work on engines and new advanced computers," the Goomba explained, nodding afterwards.

"By the way," Mario said, taking the papers back, "Dolas mentioned something about his favorite of his computers being Tifford. Is that his real name? It seems like an odd name for a computer."

"Well, technically we have three names for each computer," the Goomba told him. "The first one is an acronym. Tifford's is ADEPI-Anthro-Digitally Energized Personality Interface. But his technical name is TY-4D. See, what we do is we take the first two letters of the name of the inventor of the computer, in this case Tyler Dirk. Then we just stick the invention number at the end, in this case 4D. Then we make whatever we can out of that sequence of numbers and letters and it acts as a third, easy to say name."

"That's cool," Mario laughed. "Are there others?"

"Not very many that work well," the Goomba answered, shaking his head. "Tifford's the only one people like to see, anyway. Let's see, there's Shaton, Cuninel, and Ditoul…but otherwise, no. Shaton is usually whom Dolas turns to when he doesn't like what Tifford says, which is actually quite seldom. Cuninel and Ditoul aren't that important, and according to Dolas, they're a bit annoying. But, anyway, I'm glad to have helped you, sir."

"Well, thank you for your time." Mario walked though the room to the elevator. It looked quite complicated from the outside, but once the party was inside, Mario discovered it was just like an ordinary elevator…although it quite small and square. He pressed the button for Sublevel 3 and waited while the dumbwaiter quickly took them to their destination.

In the basement, Mario looked around again. This place was as busy as the lobby, but even more so because it crammed the same amount of work into a smaller room. Now they just needed to find nine people in this mess.

"Excuse me," Mario said to a Blooper a feet away. "Can you tell me where Herald is?"

"Probably over there holding court on some obscure prospect of computers," the Blooper replied, pointing with one tentacle towards a small huddled group next to one of the larger computers. "Yeah, he's probably in the middle there."

"Great, thank you," Mario acknowledged him before walking-or, attempting to maneuver though all the people-off in that direction. His partners struggled to follow. Presently he came upon the small group. Mario wasted no time pushing through them to get to Herald, who was a Bub-ulb. "Herald, we need something," he told him.

"O…kay," Herald replied. Mario shoved the contract in his face and the pencil in his mouth. "Let's see," the Bub-ulb murmured through the pencil. After a few signatures and initials, he was finished. He wrote everything in print, but it was a very grand, slanted print. "Have fun down in the basement," he joked. "As for your second guy…Sylvie should be working at one of those huge ones over there." He gestured towards the two computers at the other side of the room that together took up the whole wall.

"Now, just one question," Mario told him. "Could you possibly come with me to Crima Mansion? Dolas wanted all these people who have to sign to come with me."

Herald narrowed his eyes for a moment before shrugging. "Yeah, why not."

Mario nodded and walked back through the room, which was again a challenge in and of its own. A small Flower Fuzzy stood at the left of the two computers, typing away for something Mario didn't understand, but from the symbols on the screen, it looked important. "Ms. Bazin, I need you to sign this," he requested.

"Yeah, one minute," the Fuzzy replied, not looking away from the computer. "If only I could figure this out…"

"Could you come back to it? This is kind of important," Mario told her.

After a deep and exaggeratedly exasperated sigh, Sylvie turned around. "Sure, kid," she answered. She took the papers and signed her name a few times. Mario noticed that her handwriting slanted every which way, and her letters went up and down throughout her signatures.

"Now, can I ask you another thing? I kind of need you with me at Crima Mansion so Dolas will know it was your signature, not a forgery," the plumber explained.

Sylvie looked up at her computer for a little while before nodding. "Sure, kid, whatever."

Seven signings later, the party was finally ready to leave for the top floor. When they were all in the elevator, Mario pressed the button for Level 4, and they only had to wait for about ten seconds before it opened up again.

Mario was confused; a lone Toad was the only one in this room. Maybe he was the only one on duty today. "Hello?" he called. "Are you Truss T.?"

"Why, yes I am," the Toad answered, turning around and smiling at him. "I'm working right now, so could you make it quick?"

"Sure," Mario replied. "I just need you to sign this."

"Okeydokey," Truss T. agreed, taking the contract. He only needed to sign twice. "Now I don't mean to be rude, but I must finish my shift."

"No, wait," Mario protested. "Dolas said you need to come with me to his mansion. He said…that it's okay."

Truss cocked his head to one side. "Well…if you're sure," he answered. He then followed Mario to the elevator.

"You know you're lying through your teeth about Dolas saying it's _required_," Goomessa whispered.

"Different types need different encouragement," Mario whispered back.

Soon, they met up with the rest of the people who had signed. "We only need one more signature," Mario told them. "It's from Jazz Jefferson."

"Jazz Jefferson? _The_ Jazz Jefferson?" Sylvie gasped. "I love him! You know, his sister was great too, but I love him!"

"See, since Dolas owes Jazz one, Dolas decided he can forget about some of the other permissions and things if he has proof that Jazz wants us to go," Mario explained. "The only thing will be convincing Jazz to do anything…"

"What's wrong?" Herald asked.

"Well, I showed him one of those five year anniversary posters and he went all emotional," Mario told him. "But I'm sure he'll be okay."

**:::::**

"He's definitely _not_ okay," Hane told Mario. "He won't come out of his room for anything! It's making me depressed."

"Just let me try," Mario requested. "I'm sure I can do something."

So he walked down the hall to Jazz's room. "Jazz!" Mario called.

"No!" Jazz replied.

"I just want you to-"

"No!"

"I need you to sign-"

"No!"

"Well, can't you just think about what-"

"What part of 'no' are you not getting? Is it the 'n' or the 'o'?"

"I know you're sad, but can't you just listen to me?" Mario demanded. "This world isn't all bad!"

"But it-"

"_Listen!_" Mario chided him. "I know your sister died, and it's tragic, but please just think about the other things in life. The good things."

"There is _nothing_ good in this world," Jazz retorted.

"Sure there is!" Goomessa replied, walking towards the bedroom door next to Mario. "Things like…sunshine, and flowers, and tasseled jackets, and dreams, and…and…"

"Yeah, well…" Jazz trailed off. "I used to think the circus was a good thing, didn't I? And how did that turn out?"

Koopetto walked up next to Mario too. "But Jazz! You're missing out on a lot of the really great things in life. If you always think about the bad things, you'll never enjoy life! Just think of the nice things for a bit."

"Like music," Snow put in.

"And travelling," Fluzz continued.

"And relaxing," Wishes added.

"…And friends," Mario finished. "Don't you understand, Jazz? You can't just stay cooped up in your room, sitting around and saying, 'Isn't life horrible' and never having fun. Don't you get it?"

"Well…I supposed I understand," Jazz mused. "And I really don't want you to keep preaching at me much longer, so…I've changed my mind. I'll come with you."

"Wonderful!" Mario laughed. "I guess that means you don't have to sign anything after all."

"Good, because my handwriting changes almost every week," Jazz chuckled. "I am excited to come with you, though."

"So," Mario said quietly, "I guess we'll get going, _shall we_?"

The party agreed, and they left for Minstrel Trail with their computer-people group, but now one friend more.

**:::::**

**And there we have it, folks! Chapter five is actually taking longer than I thought it would, which is pretty good. Anyway, I want you to tell me what you thought of this part, and...**

**See ya!**


	54. Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats: Part V

**Hey, guys. It's me again. Fredperson. You know where you are, so I'll just cut to it.**

**I don't own nuffin, yadder yadder yadder. Blabbity blabbity blah.**

**Let's go.**

**:::::**

"Please tell me we're almost out of this place, kid," Sylvie whined after the party had defeated another group of Badge Bandits. "I didn't know this place is so scary."

"Well, it is, now stop complaining," Snow ordered callously.

"Well, we don't like it here, that's all," Herald replied. "I mean, couldn't you be faster?"

"Snow is right. We can do this just fine, and we have to fight everything in our way," Koopetto reprimanded. "You get to just sit around doing nothing."

"We're being patient with you guys whining and dealing with everything you people think is threatening…" Goomessa reminded them. "Now we want you to shut up and do our job!"

"Yeah, well…" Zachary Harris, a Spike Top, trailed off. "You guys are sort of professionals at this, aren't you? We're just guys from a laboratory. You can't blame us for being scared."

The rest of the scientists agreed, giving their own opinions. Mario shouted for everyone to be quiet. "Look, guys," he told them. "I know this isn't fun, and we're all tired, but I promise you, it's just going to get worse if we keep yelling at each other."

"Hey, Mario's right," Jazz agreed. "Let's all just calm down, and we'll be out of here before we know it."

The Boo turned out to be right; within a few more minutes, the group reached the end of the forest. "Here we are!" Truss T. cried giddily.

"Yeah, that's it," Mario replied, a little put off and confused. "Anyway, let's get inside where it's warm and Dolas can finally let us down."

Inside, Dolas and Trudy greeted them at the door. "My little trooper!" the Squeek laughed. "Let's get you to the entrance to the basement."

He and Trudy proceeded to lead them down a hall to the right this time. After a while, they stopped in a large steel room with a Warp Pipe opposite the entrance.

"Now, I must explain something to you," Dolas told Mario as he and the party walked towards the Warp Pipe. "See, we don't exactly have an elevator leading down, only one leading up. So you'll have to take the pipe down to a small procession of rooms. It won't take long though; it's only three or four rooms. Unfortunately, because nobody has been to the basement since we attained the ability to bring holograms of our computers up to the main floor, I'm sure there are some bad sorts along the way. But I assure you it's nothing too serious. And you guys can handle it, can't you?"

Mario sighed. "Of course," he confirmed. "Let's go, guys."

"Wait," Dolas ordered. "First, I need the head computer guy to close the door for us."

"Wait, close the door?" Mario repeated.

"Of course, silly!" Trudy giggled. "We wouldn't want anyone to come in there with you, would we? This is supposed to be very secret. Only you, your friends and Dolas will be allowed down in the basement. I mean, duh!"

"Dolas, I'm not so sure-" Mario began.

"Okay, Mr. Takahashi, close the door, please!" Dolas cut him off.

Before the main operator of the computers at Cybersun could make a move, a large quake suddenly shook the room. "What was that?" Dolas gasped. "Oh, not now…"

The ceiling burst open. In one dumbstruck second, Mario was expecting The Darkness to come through. But no, no unforgivably deformed rabbit-this was someone he hadn't seen in a while. A large lizard-dragon came falling through the hole in the ceiling. This would not have been a problem, if he wasn't about to fall on Mario.

With no time to run, Mario contemplated on what he'd done to make his karma so bad he was going to be _crushed_ by his arch-nemesis. Bracing himself, he waited for the pain.

But it didn't come. Looking up, he saw that Bowser had landed _through_ him. Looking to the side, he saw Jazz next to him, holding onto his shoulders. He had just demonstrated his signature ability to make other people invisible. Presently, Bowser hopped up and walked over to the Warp Pipe. "Hey, look what suckers decided to show up here!" he chuckled. "Don't get a big head, Mario, 'cause now you're going down!"

"You think so?" Mario challenged. "Don't you know how this is going to end? You won't stop me, you never do."

"Don't you be so sure," chortled an old-sounding voice behind Bowser. Kammy Koopa presently floated out from behind to be seen. "Lord Bowser is going to get that Cloud Fragment for sure, and _you're_ the one who won't be getting in his way!"

Mario sighed. "Well, if you really want to have to go through this…"

With his hammer out, he ran at Bowser, beginning to whack him mercilessly.

"Okay, Bowser. The evil dragon-lizard-something who has been fighting Mario endlessly for blah blah blah…Max Hp is 35, attack is 4, and defense is 0. It says to watch for his fire breath and stomp attack, but otherwise this shouldn't be too hard," Goomessa explained. "Let's get him!"

Mario's partners quickly joined him in fighting Bowser off. The lizard periodically ran from them to breathe a stream of fire, which occasionally made its mark, but it was nothing a Mushroom couldn't fix. Bowser began looking tired and in bad shape.

"Here, Lord Bowser, I'll help!" Kammy cried, pointing her wand at Bowser. A beam of pink light flew at him. He soon looked better and grinned at the party.

Kammy then pointed her wand at Mario and his partners' general direction, shooting a line of fire at them. It flew right at Jazz, who fell to the ground. But Kammy wouldn't stop. Shooting all manner of different beams at the party, she managed to freeze, confuse, poison, immobilize, and reduce the attack power of Mario's partners.

"You cheater," Snow mumbled, pointing what she thought was Kammy.

"Perfect!" Bowser laughed triumphantly.

"It's not over yet, Bowser," Mario reminded him, though he was feeling a little nervous. He had to fix his partner's conditions fast. There was only one thing he could do.

Taking out Caslio's hat, he held it out in the air. Once again it refused to do anything. "What are you doing?" Bowser demanded with a death glare. "What _is_ that thing?"

"Why, that's one of the Cloud Fragments, Your Curiousness!" Kammy gasped excitedly.

"And it's _not yours,_" Mario told him as he put it on his head. A flash appeared from it. Holding it up again, he felt the familiar gray light blow out of it. Kammy's mouth hung open as all of Mario's partners were healed all at once. "Now let's get rid of this guy!"

The entire party ran at Bowser as a mob. Bowser made a few weak attempts to fight them off, but teamwork prevailed easily. Bowser finally fell in a daze.

"Oh, man…" he grumbled. "Why does this always happen…"

Kammy rushed over and began to lug Bowser out the door. "Just-like-that," Mario chuckled, clapping after each word.

"Marvelous!" Dolas cheered. "That was simply fantastic!"

"You should talk, you were just watching!" Wishes growled.

"Yeah, maybe _you_ should try that sometime and see how marvelous it is!" Goomessa agreed.

"Okay, okay, quit it," Mario ordered, stretching his arms out in a barrier between Dolas and his partners. "We've got that over with, now let's get in that pipe, okay?"

"Good idea," Dolas mumbled. "Mr. Takahashi?"

The Ninji named Shouta Takahashi nodded and produced a small remote control. Ceremoniously, he pressed the single button on it. A steel door slammed down from the top of the doorway, sealing Dolas and the party off from everyone else.

"Well, nowhere to go but down," Dolas remarked. "Let's go and clear out whatever monsters are down there, and get the Cloud Fragment, shall we?"

"You mean, let's go so you can sit there while _we_ clear out whatever monsters are down there, and get the Cloud Fragment, don't you?" Koopetto reminded him.

"…Yeah, pretty much."

**:::::**

"That was very nice," Dolas commented as the party finished off a Pale Piranha. "This is taking longer than I expected, though."

"That's fine," Mario assured him. "Let's just keep going. I mean, it can't be that far away."

So the group jumped into the next Warp Pipe. In Mario's opinion, the steel rooms had gotten a bit eerie by now. It was as though the walls had eyes that were staring them down.

In this room, a collection of Clefts had made their home. A few smashes with his hammer and help from his friends, and the party defeated them.

"Good job," Dolas cheered.

"Dolas, not to be impatient, but do you know how long it'll be?" Goomessa asked.

"Oh, I know it's boring, going through room after room," Dolas agreed. "And I'm sorry. But trust me, we should be almost there."

"You said that the last two times," Fluzz muttered.

"That's because I thought we were almost there the last two times," Dolas retorted. "Anyway, let's just keep going. I'm sure we'll be there soon enough."

Mario's eyes widened a bit. "Dolas…" he began slowly but accusingly. "When was the last time you were down here?"

"Well, I'll have you know-uh…" Dolas cut himself off nervously. "You know…never. There was never a need; we've been able to use the holograms for as long as I can remember."

"But how did you get the Cloud Fragment down there?" Snow asked.

"We just dropped it down the first Warp Pipe and it fell all the way down. Then Tifford just grabbed it and stuffed it his special storage unit," Dolas explained.

"So you actually have no idea how long we'll be down here?" Mario demanded.

"Well…not _exactly,_" the Squeek replied, sounding thoroughly embarrassed. "But if I'd told you that, you would never had come."

"Of course we wouldn't!" Mario shouted. "I can't believe this."

"Well, just think for a minute," Dolas pleaded. "You don't think the rulers of Sorrel would have this thing designed to be so huge that you could never reach the bottom, do you?"

"Actually, yes they would," Goomessa argued, staring at a page in her Tattle Log. "Crima Mansion basement. This procession of rooms was once used as a dungeon. Monsters were actually placed here each time a new convict was to go down. It was generally a death sentence, as it was seldom that a victim could make their way through the _twenty_ rooms that led to the elevator back to the surface."

"…Oops," Dolas mumbled. "Okay, so I've messed up…but what room are we on now?"

"Wait a second," Koopetto told him, counting on his fingers for a few moments. "Uh, eleven."

"I don't want to go through nine more rooms!" Snow whined.

"I'm afraid it's the only way," Dolas told her. "There's no way up, and no other way out. I promise, I wouldn't have taken you if I'd known it was supposed to be a dungeon."

"Don't worry, Dolas," Mario sighed. "We'll just have to go down."

"That's the spirit!" Dolas cheered again, grateful that he'd been forgiven. But judging by the looks on their faces, Mario guessed some of his partners were a bit reluctant to let him off easy.

But eventually it became clear that there was no use just standing around, so the group just jumped into the next Warp Pipe.

**:::::**

Mario hit the floor and opened his eyes. Instead of the familiar steel walls, he saw a large screen and a keyboard. But what caught his attention were the two figures standing in the middle of the room. They were facing each other, but neither could see the group. One of them was male with short brown, and wearing regal blue robes. The other was female with long blonde hair, sporting identical purple ones.

"That's Tifford and Shaton," Dolas explained quietly. "I wonder what they're doing out of the computers."

"Oh yeah? Well, I don't care what you think," Tifford said angrily to Shaton in a low voice. "The Fragment is _mine._ Dolas was a fool, giving it to me, and you aren't taking it back."

"What?" Dolas almost yelped. Mario motioned for him to be quiet. "Tifford is supposed to be my faithful servant…" Dolas continued, more softly.

"But Tifford, you can't do this," Shaton argued hopelessly. "The Cloud Fragment has to be for Dolas, and…"

"And what?" Tifford snarled. "You can't do anything. Dolas likes me better, and if you try to tell him _anything,_ he'll never believe you."

"Okay, now," Mario ordered.

Dolas nodded. "Ahem…We're finally here!" he cried. "Sweet mercy!"

"May I remind you, you didn't fight at all," Mario told him.

"Yes, but I almost had a heart attack five times!" Dolas argued. "But no matter! Here we are, and now we can get the Cloud Fragment!"

"How long were you there?" Tifford asked nervously.

"We just now got here," Mario lied.

"Oh, okay," Tifford sighed in relief. "Well then, let me introduce myself to your friends. I am Tifford, King of Machines."

Mario's eyes widened. He couldn't quite remember what it was, but there was something about the way he'd introduced himself that Mario wasn't fond of. "Well, Dolas, you know…" Tifford continued. "I was thinking you might have me more advanced so that if there was something I needed to give you, I could bring it all the way up to the main floor so you could stay up there. Don't you think that would be more convenient?"

"Oh no, that's fine, Tifford," Dolas replied. "We cleared the entire dungeon of enemies. So why don't you…go to sleep, and we'll get our business down here done, okay?"

Tifford bit his lip, glaring at Shaton. She smiled curtly. "Yeah, Tifford, why _don't_ you go to bed? You deserve some rest."

"Yes, sir," Tifford confirmed, walking up to his main computer and disappearing into it.

"Okay, let's go," Dolas ordered, rushing up to Tifford and turning it on. "If his hologram is asleep, he won't know we're doing this."

"You heard our conversation, didn't you?" Shaton asked with a grin.

"Yes, we did," Dolas replied, without looking away from the computer. "Now we'll just activate the command to open the storage unit…"

He clicked on an icon that looked like a picture of a locked safe. A drawer-like compartment opened up right below the screen. "Okay, and careful," Dolas murmured to himself, hopping up on top of Tifford's keyboard and reaching into the compartment. He carefully pulled out what looked like a jewel. It was shaped like a large raindrop. "Here it is…"

Turning around, he sighed. "I hate to do this," he mused, "but if Tifford is this evil, we'll have to destroy his hard drive."

He then clicked on an icon near the bottom of the screen that read 'computer'. A window came up with lots of different commands that were so technical Mario couldn't understand many of them. At the very bottom left corner was a small command that said 'delete'. Dolas clicked on that.

Another window came up that asked, "Do you wish to delete this hard drive? All data not saved to a disc or tape will be lost permanently." Dolas clicked 'yes'.

Yet another window appeared, reading, "Please save all data you do not wish to lose onto a disc or tape now. Hard drive will terminate in exactly one hour." There were three options, reading 'OK', 'End Deletion', and 'Terminate Hard Drive Now'. Dolas reluctantly clicked on the last option.

"They _really_ want you to be sure of yourself, don't they?' Goomessa laughed.

The screen abruptly went blank. "Well, there he goes," Dolas said quietly. After a few moments, however, the screen suddenly switched back on. A smiling emoticon was all that was there, but it was definitely on. "What's going on?" Dolas demanded to no one in particular.

"You thought you could get rid of me, didn't you?" yelled a voice behind them. They turned around quickly to see Tifford glaring at them. "You thought you could just steal my Cloud Fragment away from me! Well, I don't think so."

"Tifford, I ordered you to go to sleep," Dolas said firmly.

"Yeah, and I _ordered_ you to fix me up so I could leave with the Fragment, but that didn't happen either!" Tifford shouted. "Try to delete my files, will you? Well…let's just see how you fare…WHEN I DELETE YOU!"

"Is this your 'faithful servant you were talking about?" Mario cried.

"No time for jokes, man!" Dolas replied. "We have to get out of here!"

"No you don't!" Tifford shouted. "I'll be perfectly fine having you all rot in here!" He pulled out a remote similar to the one Shouta had used to close the door to the dungeon. "This…is a bomb. And you're all going to explode in about five minutes, you hear? So, um…see ya never!"

He pushed the button on the remote and shot up through the ceiling.

"Oh no," Dolas murmured. "What to do? Uh…of course! The elevator! Let's run!"

The group rushed to the white elevator. It looked just like the one at Cybersun. Luckily, it worked, and soon they were back in the steel room. "Open the door, Mr. Takahashi!" Dolas pleaded. The Ninji, sensing the alarm in his voice, didn't hesitate.

"What's wrong, sir?" he asked.

"Can't talk," Dolas answered as he and the party continued running. "Just come with us, all of you!"

They decided not to ask why and just followed. After a couple of minutes, the whole gang was at the entrance to the mansion. Tifford saw them coming. Utterly shocked, he stared at them for a moment before pointing a finger at the mansion door. In an uncomfortably familiar experience, Mario saw a steel door come slamming down. "Oh, why was that there?" Dolas cried. Suddenly looking up as though a light bulb had formed in his head, he produced yet another remote that looked just like the others out of nowhere. Pressing the button, he grinned as the door suddenly stopped closing. Tifford stared, frustrated, at it.

"Hurry, guys!" Dolas ordered. The party, Trudy, and the group from Cybersun all rushed through the door like a mob. Dolas was the last to run towards it. Grinning evilly, Tifford shot a blast of green light at the remote right as Dolas was passing under the door. The door slammed down on him, causing him to fly forward. Mario ran up to him. "Oh, no…" he whispered.

"I'll take care of him. You get Tifford," Trudy told him.

Mario turned towards Tifford, who was now glaring fiercely at him. "How dare you escape a trap made by the great Tifford, King of Machines! You'll pay for this!"

As Crima Mansion exploded, Mario grinned. It was time to teach this big piece of junk a lesson.

**:::::**

**There we go, guys! Next part will be boss number five! I'm sorry this chapter is short, but…you know. It was the best I could do.**

**Yeah. So tell me what you thought, please! It means a lot when you too.**

**See ya!**


	55. Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats: Part VI

**Hey, guys! And that one guy! Hopefully you'd know what you're reading by now, so I'll just skip that.**

**I don't own Mario or any of it's properties and things. If I did, I would be…much richer a person.**

**Let's get going.**

**:::::**

The party ran up to Tifford to attack. Goomessa searched through her Tattle Log. "T-A, T-E, T-I…Tifford," Goomessa called. "This advanced mechanical beauty is the best computer from Cybersun. He's ridiculously upgraded, but ridiculously cocky. He was designed to be invincible. Max Hp is 45, attack is 5, and defense is 1. He's equipped with all sorts of different attack and defense systems, which he'll probably employ on us. Apparently, he's even fitted with three healing units. They don't restore a lot, but it's annoying. Dumb Cybersun…"

The party continued throwing everything they had at Tifford, who fought back relentlessly. He looked annoyed, but it didn't seem like he was losing too much health. "You are so irritating!" he shouted. "You may have gotten out of the mansion okay, but you'll be sorry you did!" Tifford shouted from the air, throwing his hands to his sides. A large field of ice appeared in front of him, and following an evil grin, he rushed at the party.

Mario jumped out of the way quickly and stared hopelessly at Tifford. The hologram flew at him again, and though he caught Mario's arm, it was easy to get the ice off. Mario thought for a moment on what to do. There was no conventional way of attacking him if he had that barrier up. After a moment, he remembered the Cloud Fragments. He quickly retrieved the bowl he'd gotten from The Darkness and held it to the sky. A yellow ball of energy seeped out of it and flew like lightning at Tifford, who cried out in pain and fell to the ground. His ice shield broke as he hit the ground.

"You little ticks!" he complained. Mario and his partners ran up to him and continued delivering blows. Tifford retaliated as best he could, but with only one of him and seven in the party, it was definitely a losing battle.

"Imbeciles, you don't know what you're dealing with!" he yelled. That was something he did a lot, Mario thought. He was very loud.

"We know very well what we're dealing with," Mario replied. "And what we're dealing with is going down hard."

"We'll see about that," Tifford muttered, raising both his hands. Afterwards, he shot downwards, shaking the ground. The world seemed to spin for a few seconds before stopping, but Mario couldn't reorient himself.

"What's going on?" he heard Goomessa ask. He tried to look around, but his vision was still blurry. Tifford laughed for a moment and rushed at the party again to attack. Mario tried to follow the sound of his laugh, but he ended up whacking the ground.

Eventually he could see again, and Tifford was all the way over at the entrance to Minstrel Trail. "Don't think you can get away!" Mario shouted, running up to him and continuing to attack. His friends followed soon after. "You're going down, Tifford!"

Tifford actually looked worried at this point. "This isn't good," he murmured. "I need to recharge…"

He took a small red box from his pocket. After he opened it, a flash of sparkles and pink light swirled around him. He smiled wickedly. "Now it's time to get you people!"

"Not so fast," Mario argued. "I think it's time for _us_ to get_ you._"

In response, Tifford shot a beam of fire from his hands. "Take that!"

Snow was hit by the blast. She promptly began screaming, "STOP DROP AND ROLL! STOP DROP AND ROLL! STOP DROP AND-"

"Just drop!" Fluzz, who had been right next to her, shouted.

"You pathetic twerps!" Tifford laughed, shooting a light blue beam at Koopetto. The Koopa tried to avoid it, but it followed him until he tripped on a pebble. As he tried to get up, the beam hit him, and he suddenly fell back down, his eyes closed. Tifford had put him to sleep.

"Oh, man," Mario said to himself, putting a hand to his forehead. "Tifford, you're good, but you're not going to win."

Pulling out Caslio's hat once again, he held the Cloud Fragment to the sky. The gray light swirled around Mario and his partners, fully healing the party, getting rid of Snow's burn, and bringing Koopetto's involuntary nap to a sudden end. The party advanced quickly on Tifford, who looked depressed.

"Oh, why do you have to have cool stuff, too?" Tifford whined, leaping out of the way of Mario's jump. Mario noticed that as he lost health, his voice sounded less human and more monotonous. "But whatever. You still won't defeat me!"

In a fantastic display of colors and sparkles, he raised his arms again. Rainbows of energy shot out of them and flew at the party. Mario dashed out of the way as earthquakes, fire, and lightning ensued. "The grass is definitely greener on the other side now!" he chuckled.

"Just give up, Tifford!" Mario shouted, whacking him as many times as he could.

"Never!" Tifford yelled back, limping away from the plumber. "I can restore myself as many times as I like!" At this he took out another red box out of his pocket. Mario sighed as he opened it and was fully healed.

"Actually, you can only do that one more time," Goomessa told him. "After that, you're done."

"What?" Tifford cried. "But I was supposed to be invincible! Cybersun made me that way!"

"This is ridiculously familiar," Mario murmured, running up to the boss again with his hammer out. Tifford looked around nervously as he was hit, but still managed to land a few attacks on the party. Eventually he fell to the ground with a large crash.

"No! How is it that you can hurt me?" he sobbed. "But no matter…I still have a couple tricks up my translucent sleeve…"

He put his hands to his face so that the party couldn't see his eyes. After a moment he looked back up, and suddenly became completely transparent. Lightning surrounded him, and blue and red lights shone from his body.

"There isn't _anything_ you can do to me now!" he cackled.

"Don't be so sure," Mario answered, taking out Caslio's hat yet again and placing it on his head. After the flash, he replaced it in his pocket and retrieved the stack of rings the party had gotten from Octobust. When he held them in the air, Tifford glared confusedly at him before coming to a painful realization of what Mario could be doing. A wave shot through the air, freezing Tifford in his place with a terrified stare on his face. "Now we wait," Mario said, smirking.

Soon the boss became semi-visible again, and the party could continue to attack. They did so quickly, but soon Time Warp wore off, and Tifford flew away.

"Cretins!" he cried, taking his last healing box from his pocket. "This is not good…"

But once he opened it, the smile returned to his face. With a grin at the party, he announced, "You'll really get it now!"

He put his hand to his face again, and another rainbow of light emerged from it. The rainbow began to take shape on his body, glowing on and off. Tifford had just charged himself up.

"Oh, darn," Mario whispered. "Run, guys!"

Tifford flew at the party, his hands thrust in front of him. For the first time, Mario noticed he had incredibly long fingernails.

His enemy's odd fashion choices aside, Mario dashed out of the way. Tifford refused to give up. Mario turned and held his hammer up in front of his face. Tifford smashed into it, bouncing backwards and tumbling to the ground.

"How do you like them apples?" Jazz laughed. "Or other red fruit?"

Tifford hopped up and stared worriedly at the party. "No…I-I can't lose! I can't!" he squealed pathetically in a scratchy stuttering voice. "Besides, you're cheating! It's one against seven!"

"Who says we always play fair?" Mario retorted. Tifford spun around to see Mario run up to him from behind. The plumber gave him a final whack with his hammer, at which he cried out in defeat and fell slowly to the ground. "Time to shut down, Tifford," Mario said with a grin.

Tifford's body jerked for a few seconds before he suddenly announced in a robotic voice like you'd hear from an 80's movie: "System failure reported. Hard drive executed." He then exploded in a shower of sparkles and metal.

"There he goes," Goomessa remarked.

"Now…" Mario sighed. "I hope Dolas is okay."

The party walked over to Dolas and Trudy. "Is he…?" Mario trailed off.

"He'll be fine if he can get him to a hospital," Trudy told him. "Let's hurry."

"Um, actually, we'll have to wait for a few minutes…" Mario explained, sounding embarrassed. "I need to rescue the spirit guardian."

Trudy nodded, though irritation was clear on her face. Taking the Cloud Fragment from Dolas, who had still been keeping it in his pocket, she handed it gingerly to Mario. The plumber accepted it and turned around.

While the ground and trees had not been able to change, the familiar silver cage rested in the middle of the foregrounds. Mario walked up to it and placed the Cloud Fragment in the indent, watching the cage slowly disappear. Looking slightly downward, in a tuxedo and short hat and holding a cane, was a Boo.

After a moment, he looked up. "Oh, Mario!" he gasped. "It's you! I can't believe you saved me-well, actually I can because you're Mario, but I'm so happy to see you!"

"You too," Mario replied.

"My name is Phineas D'Oracle," the Boo explained.

"Nice to meet you," Mario said. "Now…could you maybe do my friend here a favor?" He gestured towards Dolas, who still lay unconscious on the ground.

"But of course!" Phineas answered. He pointed at Dolas, and a stream of white began to flow out of his hand. It met with Dolas, who slowly began to recover. Mario was shocked as the Squeek suddenly opened his eyes and blinked a few times. "What…what happened?" he asked confusedly.

"Nothing, Dolas," Trudy replied gently with a smile. "Nothing at all."

"But what happened to the mansion?" Dolas cried, hopping up and staring in horror at the decimated chateau.

"It's fine, Dolas," Trudy assured. "We gave the cloud Fragment to Mario anyway."

"So we're not going to be in power anymore?" Dolas asked.

Trudy shook her head. "But that's okay. We'll leave here. Maybe to RitzelTown. Heck, we've sure got the money. And maybe we can have a better life there, don't you think?"

Mario smiled at this odd friendship. It was nice to have something nice come out of the destruction of a house, at least.

"And, boy, is it dark out!" Phineas remarked in an attempt to change the subject. "I suppose we'll need to stay the night somewhere."

"Can't you just take us to Gillis's house instead?" Mario asked.

"Please don't make us go through that forest again!" Snow protested.

"The diva's right," Sylvie said. Snow glared at her.

"I don't want to see this place again," Mario told him.

"That would be nice," Jazz agreed. "I've been here ever since the accident, and I suppose it would be nice to be able to travel the world again. Besides…this place is just boring."

"Well, I suppose we have a unanimous decision," Phineas decided. "So we'll leave."

"Please take us to Cybersun Incorporated first," Mr. Takahashi requested. "It's where we work." Phineas nodded, and amidst a familiar wave of the Boo's arms, the group disappeared.

**:::::**

The glass dome quickly came into focus, and Mario felt himself land on the polished white floor. Many of the workers kissed the floor. Mario rolled his eyes. "They act like they've gone through so much," he sighed.

"Well, in their minds, they have. They aren't really used to the kind of work you do," Phineas told him. "They didn't know anything about what it was like to perform the great feats you have to. I'm sure they thought this would be just a little vacation or something. Think about who they are and what they do. And when you know who they are, you'll know yourself, too. Because, you know…Knowing exactly who you are-I think that's the biggest challenge. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Mario replied. "Yeah, I think I do."

"Well, then…" Phineas smiled. "I guess you have an adventure to finish, don't you?"

Mario grinned. "I sure do," he answered. "Let's leave."

Phineas nodded, and with a wild coil of his arms, the group vanished.

**:::::**

**There we go! Two more parts before we go on to chapter six. Wow…this chapter is going by way too fast…I'm freaked out.**

**So tell me what you thought, please, and I'll be back soon.**

**See ya!**


	56. Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats: Part VII

**Hey, guys! And that one guy! Hopefully you'd know what you're reading by now, so I'll just skip that.**

**I don't own Mario or any of it's properties and things. If I did, I would be…much richer a person.**

**Let's get going.**

**:::::**

The party reappeared and landed softly in Gillisville. Mario let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. "Oh, good, we're here…" he sighed in relief that Phineas's powers had worked. "Thank you, Phineas," he acknowledged the guardian. "Now we just need to show Gillis the Cloud Fragment, and hopefully he can tell us how to find the next one. Come on."

"You have this whole system worked out, do you not?" Phineas chuckled. "You know how this all happens?"

"You could say that," Mario replied. "But you know, this is the fifth time I've had to do this."

The group walked from the entrance gate across town and up the stairs to Gillis's house. Mario knocked gingerly on the door.

"No! There's no hope for something without petals on it! It can never be _fabulous_ again!" Gillis shouted.

"Gillis, it's us…" Mario told him. "But…wow."

Gillis opened the door a crack. "Hello…But, Mario, is there a Peter Perrier with you?" he asked nervously.

"No…"

"Then come right on in!" Gillis welcomed them brightly. The gang walked inside.

"So," Gillis said excitedly, sitting down on the floor, "what do you have to tell me this time?"

"We have another Cloud Fragment and guardian," Mario told him.

"Phineas D'Oracle," Phineas introduced himself, shaking Gillis's hand. Gillis smiled dumbly. "Nice to meet you."

Gillis stood back up and began swaying from side to side. "I'm happy for you, Mario," he told the plumber. "And for myself, too."

"But you hardly _do_ anything," Goomessa reminded him. "You just sometimes tell us how to do our job."

"Yes, yes," Gillis agreed. "I do like to watch from the sidelines. It reduces my chances of…you know, becoming Gillis soup?"

"Yeah, sure," Mario muttered. "You know Gillis, that's a little bit pathet-whatever. The question is, do you know where the next Cloud Fragment might be?"

"In fact, I do," Gillis confirmed, nodding strongly. "Your creepy friend Maddie stopped by earlier after hearing that you'd gotten the fourth Cloud Fragment, and unfortunately she just missed you. But she wanted you to know that the next one is most likely in a little burg called Ievan Heights. She says that Troy figured something out about that place, but he couldn't find the town. It's a bit obscure…"

"Ievan Heights?" Mario repeated. "Where have I heard that before?"

"It was a stop on Ferris Airlines," Goomessa replied. "We'd have to wait until tomorrow morning to be able to go there."

"Well, we'd probably be waiting until morning anyway," Mario told his partners. "I just wish this didn't involve yet another trip on an airplane."

"Ferris Airlines?" Gillis asked, his eyes brightening as though he'd just now heard what Goomessa had said. "Why don't you want to go there?"

"Well, because we've already been there twice," Mario told him. "But…I guess we've got to do what we've got to do."

"That's the spirit!" Gillis grinned. "Dealing with small annoyances is just something we all have to learn, isn't it?"

"Well, thank you for telling us where to get the Cloud Fragment," Mario answered. "Phineas, you can go to the Haven of the Spirits if you want."

Phineas nodded and closed his eyes in deep concentration. After a few moments, he dissipated into the air. Gillis smiled and sat down at a chair, waving goodbye to the party. Mario walked out, closely followed by his partners.

"Well, at least we know where to go," Koopetto commented. "But Ferris Airlines is getting so boring."

"I know," Mario agreed. "But if we have to fly to Ievan Heights, then we will. It's all we can do. We can rest somewhere first, but in the end, we'll need to get there before Troy, no matter what."

"Well." Snow crossed her arms. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were hung up on this."

"I know, right?" Goomessa laughed. The two subsequently shared an in-depth conversation about how adamant the plumber was about collecting the Cloud Fragments. Mario looked up at the sky and wished he could warp himself to a hotel.

**:::::**

Though far from warping to a hotel, settling in for the night at a small place called the Golden Candle was fine enough for Mario. The party set their things down and lay down on the soft beds. Mario had died and gone to heaven. Getting the fifth Cloud Fragment had involved much more moving around than usual, and the party could now take a well-deserved rest.

It wasn't long before they were all in their beds, dozing off softly.

And Mario put it at a record-breaking five minutes before something went wrong.

The plumber felt a soft light enter the window, low enough not to bother him terribly, but bright enough that he knew it was there without opening his eyes. Reluctantly, he blinked his eyes back open and looked out the window.

As far as he could tell, a large fire was raging in the distance. He wasn't sure exactly where, but it was definitely out of control. "Guys, wake up," he called quietly.

His partners groaned and whined. "There's a fire," Mario told them.

"STOP DROP AND ROLL! STOP DROP AND-" Snow screamed.

"Would you shut up?" Fluzz shouted.

"I _meant_ there's a fire out there," Mario clarified.

The party quietly left the hotel, making sure not to disturb the other guests. Mario walked up near to the fire, but even as he approached it, it was almost too hot to stand.

"Like Fever Peak all over again," Koopetto grumbled.

"Quit griping," Snow ordered with a sneer.

"I like griping."

Mario motioned for them to be quiet, and for a few seconds everything was silent. Suddenly two Toad police came rushing from the fire towards some other citizens a few yards away who had gathered to watch it as the party had, leading (or mostly pushing) them impatiently away. "But this is the first exciting thing to happen here in years," somebody whined.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave." Mario, who had been observing the scene, had completely failed to notice the officer in front of him. The plumber bit his lip as he stared at the Toad.

"But, sir, I think I can-" he began.

"I don't care what you think you can," the officer interrupted him. "No one may come less than fifty feet from this building until we can extinguish these flames."

"How did this happen anyway?" Goomessa asked.

"Some problems with oil and lanterns…we don't really have details," the officer answered. "Now, I insist sir, you and your friends must leave here."

"But wait," Mario persisted. "What building is this anyway?"

"Ferris Airlines."

Mario was about to open his mouth again until he thought about what the Toad had just said. "But, wait…" he mumbled. "We have to go on the airlines to get to Ievan Heights…"

"Well, this is gonna put a little damper on your vacation, isn't it?" the Toad said uninterestedly, taking out a pad and pencil.

"You don't understand," Mario told him. "This isn't a vacation. We _really_ have to get to Ievan Heights as soon as possible."

"If you must…" the Toad sighed. "There is a cruise ship that makes daily trips to and from the Heights. It's called the S.S. Catharina. But it does take a while, and you can only catch it if it's settled here, which I think it happens to be tonight. Lucky you. Anyway, it leaves at nine each morning, and it stays at Ievan Heights until nine the next morning. So if you're willing to wait until nine tomorrow…plus about two extra hours to get to the Heights, then that's your second best option. The dock's that way." He pointed off to the east, where Mario could barely make out the ocean.

"Thank you, sir," Mario acknowledged him.

"Whatever," the officer replied, rolling his eyes. "Now if you please, get away from here."

"Well, _he's _a nice one," Goomessa muttered sarcastically as the party walked away from the fire.

**:::::**

Mario opened his eyes slowly. Looking out the window, he discovered it was still early in the morning. Glancing over at the clock, he found that it was still about forty minutes before the gang was supposed to be at the dock. But Mario figured they should get there anyway, just in case they had to purchase a ticket or something. He quickly woke all of his partners and explained that it was time to go.

The party left the hotel once again. Mario saw that the fire had been secured and was now completely gone. It was still uncomfortable to stand too close to the building, but it was much easier. Mario and his partners made for the dock in the direction the Toad officer had pointed them. It didn't take long to find the pier, but the scene that met them was less than desirable.

Two other Toads in conductor's outfits were dashing around the main platform and seemed to be juggling three tasks. These included answering questions from waiting citizens, taking baggage and stuffing it in a pile at the end of the pier, and trying to figure out an apparent problem with the ship. Mario took a moment to admire said boat.

The S.S. Catharina was, first of all, huge. The only other ship Mario had ever seen that could possibly rival it was the S.S. Flavio, and even that was at most a third of this thing's size. The ship was a deep violet at the stern, which brightened gradually to a wisteria color at the bow, with but two non-purple items. A single golden line streaked around the very bottom of the ship, and in pure white in loopy cursive read, "S.S. Catharina-I will always love you Kathy". The masts were all a beautiful maroon.

"Wow," Goomessa marveled.

"Tell me about it," Jazz murmured.

"Please wait just one moment," one of the Toad pleaded at an impatient-looking Bob-bomb before began to run back to the ship.

Mario walked slowly towards the other Toad. "If you don't mind me asking, what's going on here?" the plumber asked.

The Toad bit his lip. "That's just it, we don't know," he replied. "We were working just fine until we got back here. But when we tried to start the ship, it just wouldn't start! We just filled the gas tank…and all the ignition systems are in order…but it just won't go…"

"Hey, wait!" the first Toad called from inside the ship. "I found something!"

"Well, what it is?" the second Toad called back.

"We're missing the main gears," the first Toad explained, jumping out of the ship. "The ship can't start without them."

"Oh, man…" the second Toad whined. "If we don't get the ship started in…thirty minutes, then we'll be off schedule for the first time ever! We can't make a reputation for ourselves of being late! Oh, this is just horrible-"

"If I may make an input," Mario cut him off, "I might be able to help. What are these gears supposed to look like?"

"There are two red ones that are about yey long, and an orange one that's the same size," the first Toad explained. "I don't know where they could have gotten though, because I'm not sure exactly when the boat stopped working."

"That's fine," Mario assured him. "I'm sure the gears didn't walk off on their own, so I should be able to ask around for someone who might have taken them. Three big gears aren't exactly easy to hide, so hopefully I'll get some answers."

"Thank you, kind sir," the two Toads chimed.

Mario nodded and turned around to walk away from the dock.

"So wait, how are we going to find some nut who stole the gears to a ship?" Snow demanded.

"Like I said, we'll ask around," Mario replied.

"Well, did you think someone with a perfect answer was just going to fall out of the-AIE!"

Snow was promptly interrupted by a Lakitu falling on her head. Mario rushed up to the two of them and picked the Lakitu up. Somehow his cloud was missing.

"Are you okay?" he asked them. Snow nodded and stood back up, glaring at the Lakitu. The Lakitu coughed a couple of times before answering yes.

"If you're so okay, why did you fall on me?" Snow pestered him, wiping dirt off her forehead.

"Well, I was just floating up high in the sky up there, watching the world go by, when some freak jumped at me and knocked me off my cloud! I think he just wanted the cloud, because…yeah, he didn't actually take anything from me," the Lakitu explained.

"I think we've got our guy," Mario decided.

"And what do you know? An answer-" Koopetto began.

"Fell from the sky, I know," Snow finished angrily. "Hardee har har."

"I wonder where he went," Mario mumbled, looking up at the sky. "Clouds, clouds, clouds…ah! I think I found him."

The plumber pointed upwards at a quickly moving cloud with what was most likely a face on it. The party dashed across town to try to be as straight under it as possible.

"I think I can get him," Wishes remarked, flying upwards towards the thief. After a moment, Snow shrugged and began throwing fireballs at the cloud. Jazz joined Wishes in the fun. The thief looked around in bewilderment and cried out in surprise and pain as a fireball hit him in the face. Wishes snatched him and brought him down to the ground. Jazz followed with the cloud, which had many different odd objects stashed on top of it.

The thief was, as Mario might have expected, a Bandit. He smiled nervously at the party. "Okay, fine! I'll give back this stuff!" he almost sobbed. "But I only stole three things, so it's okay, right?"

As he was finishing his sentence, a Toad officer came up on the group. "Coze Cuther," he chuckled. "Finally we've got you." Turning to Mario, he cocked his head to the side. "Were you the same guy who wanted to go to Ievan Heights last night?"

"Uh, yeah," Mario replied. He was surprised to meet this same officer, though he didn't recognize the Toad at all.

"Well, thank you for catching this guy," the Toad said gratefully. "It looks like he didn't take much, so would you mind returning these things?"

"Sure," Mario replied, and the Toad walked off with the Bandit in tow.

"Well, thank you for getting me my cloud," the Lakitu said to Mario. "What about these?"

"I need the gears…" Mario told him. "Though I don't know what a green one is doing here. But…I don't know about this."

He held in his hand a silver ring with a ruby set in it. "I don't know who this belongs to."

"Oh, that?" the Lakitu asked. "I know what _that_ is. That's my sister's wedding ring. I think she's actually going on a cruise in about…ten minutes."

"On the S.S. Catharina?" Mario asked.

"The same. If you're going on it, well, could you return them to her?" the Lakitu requested.

"Sure thing," Mario replied. "Have a nice day."

The party then walked back east to the pier to find the conductors still in distress. One of them saw him and immediately brightened up. "It's you! Do you have the gears?" he asked hopefully. Mario showed the three required gears to him.

"He found them!" the Toad called to the other inside the ship. Then, talking to Mario again, he continued. "We can't thank you enough, really! This was so kind of you! Now…all aboard that's going aboard! The S.S. Catharina will be leaving right on schedule! All aboard!"

He disappeared onto the ship, followed by the rest of the citizens.

"We did good," Goomessa commented with a smirk.

"Yeah we did," Mario agreed, jumping on the ship with everyone else. Once the entire party was aboard, the conductor signaled to the navigator to begin the trip. Mario sighed in relief that the party had been able to save the journey. They had only two Cloud Fragments left to find, and Mario could already feel the end of his adventure just around the corner.

**:::::**

**There we go, guys! We have just the interlude next, and then we'll be moving on to chapter six. Yep. So tell me what you thought, and I'll be back soon.**

**By the way, the whole _fabulous_ thing isn't mine, and I don't own it. So yeah. And I don't own the certain YouTube personality it _does_ come from. DON'T SUE MY BUTT!**

**See ya!**


	57. Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats: Interlude

**Hi, people! Nice to see you again! Here we are at the special awesome interlude of chapter five! It's so cool!**

**At least, I tend to think so. Because after this, we get to start the ultimate chapter six! It's my…third favorite chapter. Yep. And it has my favoritest partner EVAR! YEAH!**

**So, yeah, I don't own Mario, I don't own the state of Mississippi, and I don't own that one singer from Mississippi either.**

**So let's get going with the interlude.**

**:::::**

Troy lay down on his bed, kicking his legs into the air. He had finally finished forming his plan. He had everything ready by now. All he needed was Mario's willing cooperation to retrieve the rest of the Cloud Fragments, and he'd be golden. "Goodbye, failure, hello success," he laughed, gazing up at the ceiling.

Sitting up, he thought about everything he'd had to do so far to get to where he was. He'd had to allow for screw-ups by some of his best generals, let the fact that that fat plumber was beating him to every Cloud Fragment slide, lose to Mario himself, and all in all, he'd had to set his plan up so foolproof that ultimate success was the only option. "Well, that devil can win all the battles he wants to, but this war is mine," he told himself, clenching his fists. Turning around, he looked in his bedside mirror. "You are valuable," he assured his reflection. "You are a good person. You need to wash your hair…"

As he messed up his hair, he whistled a random tune. "Now where is my hat…" he asked his mirror. Looking around his room, he couldn't find the top hat he could have sworn had been on his head just a minute ago. Turning around, he found it partly hidden behind his pillows. "Oh, there you are! He he!"

"Okay, so are you naturally this crazy, or is this you practicing at it?" Twink asked, sounding partly worried and partly disdainful. Troy pivoted on his foot to see the Star, who had opened his door without his knowledge. With an amused glare, he walked over to Twink.

"Okay, you got me," he chuckled. "Sorry, I'm just a little giddy that my plan is coming together."

"Well, that's new," Twink told him, floating into the room and taking a position in front of Troy's dresser. "Why the sudden change of heart? Weren't you all worried before?"

"Yes, I was," Troy answered, holding his top hat in front of his face.

"Okay, you have _no_ idea how disturbingly you look like that one singer from Mississippi right now," Twink said, sounding frightened. Troy laughed and removed the hat from his face.

"Anyway," he continued, "you see, I've figured it's just better to let Mario gather the Cloud Fragments and come to me. I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but it's the perfect plan. Then I can unleash her on him…"

He then began to giggle insanely for a few seconds before coughing. "Anyway…I just have to wait now for Mario to collect the Fragments and come straight to me. It's perfect, don't you think?"

"I guess it is," Twink replied, shrugging. "I can't think of a way for it not to work, so congratulations, I suppose."

"Thank you, Twink," Troy said, standing under the chandelier in the middle of the room and stretching his hands out as if to absorb the light. "I'm glad you're finally seeing things my way."

"…But Troy, I'm sorry to say I'll have to bring your mood down."

"How so?" Troy sighed theatrically.

"I have news that isn't exactly the best," Twink told him.

"Well, what is it?" Troy asked, fiddling with the brim of his hat.

"It's about Maddie," Twink explained nervously.

"What about her?" Troy demanded, suddenly perking up, his voice raising about two octaves.

"Well…" Twink was obviously fearful of telling Troy what he wanted to say. "I saw Maddie walk out of Princess Peach's room. I know she didn't see me, though. I didn't think too much of it, but she looked around suspiciously, like she was afraid of being seen. I can't think of anything, besides-"

"She was telling Peach things…" Troy finished, staring at the floor. "I don't believe…Twink, are you sure you saw this?"

"Absolutely," Twink confirmed. "I'm so sorry-"

"Forget it," Troy interrupted. "I hate to be a bad host, but could you please leave? I don't want to get angry all over you."

"Of course, Troy," Twink replied, feeling honestly sorry for him. "Goodbye."

He floated silently out the door and closed it behind him.

"Maddie…" Troy moaned pitifully. "Why…I thought you…oh, Maddie, I trusted you…"

Twink sighed and floated away from the door.

**:::::**

Peach sat on her bed, swaying from side to side and humming. She wondered where Maddie was. It was taking her a little longer than normal to come along. "I suppose she's still waiting for Mario to get another one of those Cloud doohickeys," she told herself. "He must just be having a harder time of it. Then again, I can't have much of an idea what time it is. Last time I knew, it was seven. But that must have been…five days ago. I'll have to ask Maddie what time it is when she gets here.

"And…I'm talking to nobody," she muttered. "Oy ve."

_Yeah, enter monsieur, lay down your load…on planet brain-dead,_ she thought miserably. _Why won't Maddie get here?_

As if on cue, there was a light knock on the door. Peach grinned from ear to ear, but caught herself before speaking. "C-come in?" she called, just in case it wasn't Maddie.

And good thing. The door opened to Troy. Peach gasped. "Oh…it's you," she said quietly. "What do you want, Troy?"

Troy strode across the room with his hands clasped. "Hello, princess," he greeted her. "I don't have _much_ to say, I just wanted to say hello. And I have, you see."

"O…kay," Peach replied confusedly.

"And I also want to discuss with you something that has recently come to my attention," Troy told her. "Something I really need to talk to you about."

"What are you getting at?" Peach asked suspiciously.

"It's about one of my generals," Troy informed her, and Peach could tell he was grinning at his ability to hold things mysteriously over her.

"General? Why would I care about this?" Peach asked nervously.

"I think you might know," Troy told her. "Her name is St. Valentine. _Maddie_ St. Valentine. An assistant of mine told me you have some connection with her."

Peach stared in terror at him. "I don't know anybody by that name," she lied.

"Don't you?" Troy murmured. "Well, princess, you know I'd hate it if you weren't telling me the truth. Do you know how much I'd hate it?"

Peach stared at him, scared to answer.

"I'd hate it _a lot_," Troy told her. "Like, very much. Do you know what I do to liars?"

"I-I don't know," Peach replied, terrified. "Do you-"

"I DESTROY LIARS," Troy yelled. Peach leaped off her bed and crouched behind it.

"Do you _want_ to be destroyed?" Troy demanded. "Because I really wouldn't want to, but trust me, princess, it can be arranged."

"Okay then," Peach replied meekly. "I promise you, I don't know anyone named Maddie St. Valentine."

"Well, if you say so," Troy conceded threateningly. "I bid you good day, princess."

"Can't say I feel the same way," Peach muttered. "But goodbye anyway."

And Troy stormed out, his cape flying in the air behind him. Peach walked over and closed the door.

After a couple of minutes, there was a second knock. Without waiting for an answer, Maddie walked in. "Hello, princess!" she called, skipping through the room.

Peach looked up at her. "I'm angry at you," she said bluntly.

Maddie stopped mid-skip. "Okay, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"Troy knows," Peach explained.

"Well, how do you know it's _my_ fault?" Maddie inquired defensively.

"Some assistant told him," Peach answered. "And besides you and him, no one comes in here."

"Well…" Maddie tried to defend herself but found it impossible. "Okay, maybe you're right."

Peach nodded.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Maddie apologized. "But I never did say I could do this without us being found out, I said I'd try. I'll try to be more careful, but could you cut me some slack?"

Peach continued staring at her. After a few moments, she sighed. "Okay, I suppose," she replied. "Now, I don't mean to nag, but when are you planning on getting me out of here?"

"Well, I heard a conversation between Twink and Troy," Maddie answered. "I didn't hear most of it, but I know now that Troy wants Mario to get all of the Cloud Fragments and come here. He's decided it's not worth trying to get them anymore and he'll just wait for Mario."

"That's odd," Peach whispered. "And speaking of which, do you know how Mario's doing? Has he gotten any other Cloud thingymabobbers yet?"

"No, I don't," Maddie replied. "I'm sorry. Troy hasn't talked to me since he told me about The Darkness, so I can't really know much."

"I'm sorry about that," Peach sympathized. "I'm sure he's doing fine. I hope so, anyway. DO you think he is?"

"I bet he is." Maddie nodded with a sort of half-smile. "I don't doubt his ability to get this done for a second. Besides, without Troy invading on him, the rest of his search for the Fragments should be simple enough. I just hope that Troy doesn't persist on this situation with me going to talk to you."

"That's fine, Maddie," Peach assured her. "Thank you for coming in."

"Sure thing," Maddie answered, turning around. "And by the way, princess?"

"Yes?"

"I'm…sorry I've failed."

Without another word, she walked solemnly out the door. Peach stared after her.

Things were getting complicated indeed.

**:::::**

"I can't believe Mario was there…" Bowser groaned. "And I can't believe I lost to him."

Bowser and Kammy were currently walking the streets of Sorrel, trying to find Minstrel Trail (and unfortunately unaware of the fact that Crima Mansion was currently in ashes). "It's just humiliating. And even when I ambushed him."

"Don't be angry at yourself, Lord Bowser," Kammy comforted him. "That Mario is a cheater. He used the Cloud Fragments to help himself, and then he and his friends ganged up on you. If it was just him, you'd surely win! Surely!"

"Yeah, well that hardly helps at this point," Bowser sighed. "I don't have a single one of those things, and I'm sure Mario has tons. He's doing what he always does: beating me to everything!"

He starting stomping his foot in frustration. "Why does this keep happening?"

"Please, Lord Bowser, calm down," Kammy pleaded.

Bowser stopped stomping and closed his eyes. "Fine," he replied. "I'll calm down. But we have to really hurry to wherever the next Cloud Fragment is. I'm sure Mario already has it, so I guess we can get a head start."

"May I remind you, Your Eagerness," Kammy cut in, "that that didn't work last time. Don't you remember?"

"Oh, that was only because the plane had to land early," Bowser reminded. "This time it's got to work."

"Of course it will!" Kammy agreed, suddenly brightening up. "You always have wonderful plans, Lord Bowser! Congratulations!"

"You know it, Kammy!" Bowser laughed triumphantly. "Where's that next Cloud Fragment?"

"Well, the closest place to here is the beautiful Ievan Heights. But we have to take the plane to get there," Kammy explained.

"Aw, come on!" Bowser whined. "I don't want to get on that thing anymore!"

"I'm afraid it's the only way I know to get there," Kammy told him, sounding embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Lord Bowser, but we have no other choice."

"Well, I guess I can't blame you for that," Bowser decided. "And we do have to get those Cloud Fragments before Mario. So let's go!"

"That's the spirit, Lord Bowser!" Kammy cheered. "You never let an obstacle get to you!"

"Well, that's just who I am!" Bowser answered, grinning. "Now come on. Let's get to whatever it is before Mario, and maybe we can finally get an advantage over him."

"It's called Ievan Heights," Kammy reminded him as they began to make their way to the airport.

"Whatever!" Bowser replied, rolling his eyes.

**:::::**

**YAY! FINALLY CHAPTER FIVE IS DONE.**

**Sorry for the epic shortness of this interlude, but for some reason I was stuck on what to write for the Bowser part, and I'd already stretched out the Peach and Troy parts as much as was possible.**

**So yeah, sorry 'bout that. Anyway, tell me what you thought of this chapter, and I'll be back soon with chapter six (which is, again, one of my favorites).**

**See ya!**


	58. Twilight: Part I

**Hey, guys! Great to see you once again! Do you know what time it is?**

**You don't know?**

**Well, whether you do or not, I'm going to tell you.**

**It's time for the beginning of the awesome CHAPTER SIX of my story! Part one! Yay!**

**Like I said, we meet some of the coolest characters ever here. So hold on to your hats, ties, ascots, underwear, socks, and shoes, 'cause from here on out, this is gonna be a bumpy ride.**

**:::::**

Mario lay peacefully on a reclined chair on the balcony, reading a book with sunglasses on and sipping cold lemonade. He had wondered why this boat was called a cruise ship if it was only a means of transportation. He had discovered it wasn't. The party had learned that this cruise ship didn't only make trips to the Heights; it actually only did this every other week. Other weeks, passengers could travel the world on it. Mario almost regretted not being able to take a cruise, and had to keep reminding himself that the party needed to get the Cloud Fragments before Troy. So he had decided that since the party only had two hours here, they might as well have a nice room.

He had chosen the Mercury Suite in the rear of the ship, mostly because it had looked pretty on the brochure pasted to the wall next to the check-in booth in the lobby. While it had cost quite a bit (of which he was continually reminded by his friends), he felt it was a nice thing to allow his partners to unwind. They definitely deserved it.

And boy, was it a luxury cruise. The suite had two huge floors, three queen beds, three bathrooms (which Mario thought were beautiful, although he had already stubbed his toe twice trying to get between them), two televisions with DVD players, extremely adjustable air conditioning, a banquet room, and an inside pool. Considering what he had thought it would cost, the plumber had actually thought we was being joked when the manager listed the price. Mario had previously ordered room service and messages, and every employee had maintained a positive, smiling attitude towards the party (even when Snow had had a screaming fit over the death of her hair dryer's battery).

The only problem was the fact that the balcony was directly below the buffet. For some reason Mario would never discern, every single guest in the buffet found it intensely amusing to drop food, napkins, silverware, and in extreme cases, their unneeded clothes, onto the balcony. Mario shouted at them the first few times, but eventually decided it wasn't worth it. Besides, nothing ever actually fell on him; the table at which he sat was too far away from the rail at the end of the outside of the buffet for him to be hit.

So there he sat, slowly drinking his lemonade. With the rocking of the ship, and the general feeling of being constantly pampered, he was getting rather tired at this point, and looking inside at the clock, he saw that they still had an hour and a half before they reached Ievan Heights. If none of his partners were currently sleeping, he might go take a nap himself. With a yawn, he stood up and placed the sunglasses in their case in the middle of the table and the book next to them.

He met Goomessa as he walked inside. She was wearing a hair net and a slightly damp nightgown. "Hi, Mario," she greeted him. "Can I just say…thanks for getting this for us? Right now, I think I love this more than a love apple pie…and I like apple pie."

"Sure thing, Goomessa," the plumber replied. "It was really no problem, and you're right, this place is really great. I didn't know rooms as great as this existed. I almost thought they'd gotten the price wrong, but, you know, I wouldn't argue. By the way…what's with the hair net?"

"I had my hair done up all pretty, and I didn't want to ruin it in the shower," she answered. "They actually have a waterproof radio in the bathtub! Can you believe that?"

"That's pretty cool," Mario agreed. "Do you know if anyone else is sleeping?"

"Well, I wouldn't call myself their secretary," Goomessa chuckled, "but I think Koopetto and Wishes are. Uh…Snow's taking a long bath with those salt thingies, and Fluzz left for the buffet. So, yeah. One of the beds is still free."

"Thanks, Goomessa," Mario said, smiling. "I think I'll take a short nap before we get to Ievan Heights."

"Good on you," Goomessa told him. "Me, I think I'm going to see what movies they have on TV."

"Have fun," Mario called over his shoulder, walking out to the balcony to retrieve his hammer, which he'd forgotten there.

On the way to the table, he was struck on the head by a large chicken wing. Looking up, he saw Fluzz laughing from the top of the rail. "That _is_ funny!" he chortled. Looking back down, he suddenly frowned. "Wait, is that you, Mario? Oh, dang…"

**:::::**

"Excuse me, Mr. Kirby," a Toad conductor requested. "We're having some technical problems with the ship. Would you mind coming down with me?"

The Koopa looked up from some complicated paperwork with a frustrated look on his face. "Again. Eh…this isn't good. I have to get this stuff done, and we've hardly been out for a half and hour…"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kirby," the Toad mumbled nervously. "But we don't know exactly what's going on."

"What do I pay you people for?" Mr. Kirby muttered to himself. "Okay, then. I'll come down."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Kirby," the Toad said quietly, leading the way down to the engine room.

"Yeah, yeah."

**:::::**

Mario opened his eyes with a smile. His sleep had been uninterrupted by bad dreams once again, and the bed had been ridiculously soft. The pillows had been very cutely arranged, and the sheets were thick. He had had a wonderful time.

And then he looked at the clock. It was noon already. For a few moments, he didn't process what wrong with this, but then he remembered that their cruise had began at nine. Leaping out of bed, he asked himself around ten questions. Why wasn't the boat at Ievan Heights? Why wasn't the party there already? Was the clock working right?

"We thought you'd never wake up," Jazz called. Mario turned, startled, towards the doorway into the grand room. "You missed their announcement. They told everyone they were having technical difficulties and that they'd be taking at least another hour and a half to fix them and get the boat started with enough fuel to get to the Heights."

"Oh, man," Mario sighed, following the Boo into the living room. "This is going to put us behind schedule, but I guess we should make the best of it."

"You're right," Snow agreed from the round white couch. She was currently winning monumentally at a game of chess with Koopetto, who looked frustrated and angry. He had a single rook and his king left, whereas Snow had everything besides two pawns and one bishop. "We should really make the best of it. Isn't that right, Koopetto? Make the best it."

Koopetto bit his lip to keep from speaking as the Toadette continued to torment him. Mario rolled his eyes with a chuckle and got a bottle of apple-flavored water from the fridge. "They have _everything_," he remarked.

"They sure do," Jazz said.

"Snow, you can make a move," Koopetto told her. Snow moved a pawn to the back row.

"Queen," Snow crowed. Koopetto sighed.

Mario laughed again before sitting down at the red couch next to the white one and picking up the remote. Not finding anything good on television, he stood back up and looked out onto the balcony. "You know what I think?" he asked to no one in particular. "I think we might go down and try to help those guys fix whatever's wrong with the ship."

"Why would we do that?" Jazz asked confusedly.

"It can't hurt," Mario replied. "And we should probably waste as little time as possible."

"But Koopetto and I still need to finish this game," Snow protested, pretending to be sad, but Mario knew she was absolutely smug.

"Checkmate," Koopetto announced. Snow blinked and stared at the board.

"You're kidding," Snow said, her face a ghoulish pale. Snow's king was on an edge, placed so that Koopetto's rook had her in check, but no matter where she moved, she was either in check or next to Koopetto's king. All of her other pieces were either too far away or unable to move into a position to save her. "Uh…"

With a grin, Koopetto flicked Snow's king off the board at her. Snow pouted for a moment before jumping up. "Let's go," she said. "This couch is starting to get uncomfortable anyway."

"Bitter," Koopetto pretended to cough.

**:::::**

"I don't understand what's going on," Mr. Kirby told the Toad conductors. "Did you even read the manual? Anything about spontaneous engine failure?"

"Nothing, sir," one of the Toads replied while the other fiddled with levers and buttons. "We just can't figure anything about."

"Ugh," the Koopa grumbled. "Why don't we just get a mechanic?"

The Toads stared at him. "We're…on a ship, sir. We can't get a mechanic."

"Well, don't we have one on the ship?" Kirby demanded.

"No."

"And we call this a full crew," Kirby snarled.

"Excuse me," Mario called. Kirby turned around, still with the glare on his face.

"No passengers are allowed down here," the Koopa told him.

"We'd like to help with the ship," Mario explained.

"And what do you think you could do?" Mr. Kirby asked with a disbelieving, almost amused expression.

"Mr. Kirby, he's helped us before," one of the Toads informed him.

Kirby continued to stare for a second before deciding they couldn't be much worse off anyway. "Okay, fine, you can help," he conceded. "My name is Allen Kirby. Do what you will."

Mario nodded and the party advanced towards the engine. "Well, this looks like it should work," he mused.

"Well, it doesn't, I think we have that established," Allen replied.

"I _do_ have a green gear that I got from the same guy who stole the other ones," Mario told them.

"Really?" one of the conductors asked eagerly. "Well, hand it over, man!"

Mario gave him the gear. He rushed over to the engine and looked for a place to put it. "Well…in the instruction manual it says that there's a green gear you can use in emergencies…"

"_And you didn't think to tell us that?"_ Allen shouted. He was an impatient fellow.

"Don't yell at me!" the Toad whined. "The manual doesn't always work!"

"Just put in the stupid gear," Kirby ordered.

The Toad placed the gear in a conveniently shaped indent. It dropped with a small clang. The engine suddenly brightened up. "Backup systems on," a robotic voice announced.

"Finally," Allen muttered. "Now let's go."

"Hey! You _could_ thank us," Snow told him.

"I could," Allen agreed. "But I don't think I will."

**:::::**

"We're very sorry for our short engine problem," one of the Toad conductors apologized over an intercom, "but we've reached Ievan Heights only an hour and a half behind schedule. We know you have only one choice in cruise ships to the Heights, so thank you for sailing on the SS Catharina. Have a nice day."

"Whatever," Snow said as the party packed up their things and exited the ship. "Stupid boat, stupid manager, stupid…just stupid."

"You really don't like traveling, do you?" Goomessa asked.

"Eh…you could say that."

"Anyway," Mario said, addressing all of his partners, "we have some time to make up, so we need to hurry, okay?"

"Hey, it's not like there can be anything scary out there, can there?" Koopetto asked with a laugh.

"Those of you wishing to go to Ievan Village, please take caution," the Toad continued. "Ievan Forest is flooded with monsters, and we don't want our customers to be harmed."

"Joke's on you," Snow said with a half-smile.

**:::::**

"This is incredibly idiotic," Jazz commented as the party made their way through the forest.

"Yeah, well, there's no other lead we have," Mario answered. "The only chance we've got is if someone in Ievan Village knows anything about the Cloud Fragment."

"Yeah, well," Snow repeated mockingly, "I still hate this."

The forest was dark, cold, and damp, and the party had been there for almost ten minutes. Rather understandably, they had been complaining for a while.

"Don't worry," Goomessa cut in. "I think we're almost there. My book says it's not one of the larger forests around. And it also says that the boat and forest go so far east that time actually passes faster than normal as you go."

"Then why aren't we there already?" Wishes demanded. "I hate humidity!"

"Well, let's just keep going," Mario ordered. "We're bound to be out soon."

He wasn't wrong. Within another few minutes, the forest started to thin out, and eventually the party stepped out into a clearing. Mario was shocked; it was already night here.

"What did I tell you?" Goomessa laughed. "Ievan Heights is right through those gates."

Straight across the clearing, with trees on either side, were French-style steel gates. "That's odd," Mario remarked. "From the airport, it wasn't this hidden."

"Well, the boat happens to dock on the other side of the Heights," Goomessa explained. "It's confusing, I know."

"Well, nowhere to go but forward," Mario decided. The party began to make their way across the clearing, but Mario ran into something invisible about halfway there. "What the heck?" he cried.

"It's a chest," Wishes explained. "But there's an invisible barrier surrounding it."

"You couldn't tell me that five seconds ago?" Mario demanded, clutching his nose.

Fluzz jumped on the job, vacuuming away the barrier and revealing a small blue chest. Mario struggled to open it, and once it finally opened, he found a Growth Coin inside.

"Jazz, time to get you caught up," the plumber told his partner. Jazz accepted the coin, and a familiar flash of light appeared.

"That was pretty nice," the Boo said with a grin. "It feels cool."

"Now…to the village!" Mario laughed, pointing towards the gates. "Come on, guys!"

His partners followed him into Ievan Village with the most optimistic air they'd had in a while.

**:::::**

**That's it, guys! How'd you like the beginning of chapter six?**

**Tell me what you thought, please. ****By the way, sorry for the epically weird chess thing. For those of you who don't know chess...well, sorry.**

**But still, I hope you liked it.**

**See ya!**


	59. Twilight: Part II

**Hi, peoples and peoplettes! Wait, I've already used that. Oh! Oh! You know what? I don't care.**

**I no longer depend on the humor of my introductions. Though I still use it.**

**Anyway, time for part two, blah blah. I don't own Mario, blah blah.**

**But luckily, we meet some of the awesomest characters in this story in this part. Get psyched! Again! 'Cause I really like these characters!**

**Now allow me to quit stalling and let's go!**

**:::::**

Ievan Village was much larger than it had looked from the airport. Beautiful (and expensive-looking) houses and mansions were everywhere. Lawns were very clean cut and dotted with cute decorations. Streets were narrow and freshly paved. The place was actually very stately, majestic, and proper.

Or it would have been if not for the loud music and the blinding lights and confetti.

Everything was decorated with large strings of garland and tinsel, bright lights, and/or depictions of stars and the moon. One big thing that Mario noticed was that everything was in one of three colors; purple, green, or yellow.

"What's going on?" Mario had to shout to be heard over noisemakers, music, and carnival games.

"I don't know!" one of his partners-he couldn't be sure, but it was probably Goomessa-yelled back.

"I'll ask someone!" Mario told his friends, walking over to a random Yoshi with a mostly empty glass in his hand and tapping his on the shoulder. "Excuse me!" he called loudly.

The Yoshi didn't hear him and continued to talk to some other citizens. "Excuse me!" Mario repeated, louder this time.

Wishes pushed past the plumber and took a deep breath. "DUDE! SOMEONE IS TALKING TO YOU!" he screamed.

The Yoshi turned around and stared at Mario with an oddly giddy look on his face. "Hi, guy…" he greeted Mario drunkenly. "How're you?"

"Just peachy," Mario muttered. "Anyway, could you tell me what the heck is going on here?"

The Yoshi laughed. "My name's Kaden!" he told Mario.

"That's great, now could you tell me what's with the lights and stuff?" Mario asked.

"Oh, okay!" Kaden chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, okay! It's Mardi Gras! We're-hic-we're celebrating Mardi Gras!"

"What's that?" Mario inquired confusedly.

"Mardi Gras, meaning Fat Tuesday in French, is the last day before Lent," Goomessa began to explain, "usually around the end of February. It's a big carnival during which the French have lots of fun and eat lots of food, and then starting the next day, and for around six weeks, they get to pretty much eat and drink nothing. It's a one-day event in France, but other places, it can last up to a week sometimes."

"Yeah, only-hic-we don't usually celebrate the Lent part," Kaden told him. Goomessa rolled her eyes.

"Around the end of February?" Mario repeated. "It's the middle of August."

"We celebrate whenever the heck we wanna!" Kaden laughed.

"Okay, whatever you say," Mario mumbled. "Mind if I ask you another question?"

"Sure, why not!" Kaden replied. "This is a time for celebration and fun and-"

"Okay, we get it! We're all ridiculously light-spirited here!" Mario interrupted. "Now. We're trying to find something called a Cloud Fragment around Ievan Heights. Is there anyone in this town, like a mayor or someone old who might know a lot about obscure things and legends?"

"Do you want someone who's in charge or someone who's actually smart?" Kaden asked.

"Someone smart, I suppose," Mario answered.

"Then you'd need to see Hattie. She knows _everything_," Kaden explained, finishing whatever was in his glass.

"Who's Hattie?" Mario asked him.

"She's another Yoshi who's just really good at figuring things out," Kaden told him. "She reads a lot about legendary junk like your Cloudy doodad, so I'm sure she can tell you something."

After a moment of silence, Mario prompted, "Could you tell us where to find her?"

"Oh, yeah!" Kaden's laughter was getting annoying. "Well, yeah, of course I can help you find her! Just follow me."

"I'm not so sure about this…he's crazy," Koopetto told Mario.

"Well, we don't have much of a choice," Mario replied irritably. "Let's just follow the drunken guy, and hope he knows what he's talking about."

His partners decided there wasn't much else they could do, so they quickly caught up with Kaden, who was strolling (quite sloppily, mind you) towards what looked like an inn.

Inside, Mario looked around the building. A bar took up most of the establishment. It was quite a scene, Mario thought as he disdainfully observed the many drinking guests, most of whom were quite gone in the head. They were generally holding meaningless conversations and pointless contests. What Mario especially noticed that he couldn't outside with so many people was that the entire population of the city consisted of Yoshis.

"So this is where Hattie is?" Mario asked.

"…Well no, not exactly," Kaden replied. "You're not really allowed to see her if you're not one of her daily staff unless you have her sister's permission."

"Ah, just great," Goomessa said sarcastically. "What's wrong? Why can't we see her?"

"You'll have to find that out for yourself," Kaden told the party. "But Robin's right over there. Just ask to see Hattie, and she'll say yes. She's very generous."

He pointed a wavering finger towards a group of cheering guests at the other side of the pub. Mario tried to look past them and saw a blue Yoshi staggering chaotically on a long table, egged on by the other guests. The plumber guessed she was attempting to dance.

So he sighed and started towards the table. His partners reluctantly followed.

As the party reached the table, the Yoshi began to sing the song that was being played, but Mario stepped onto a chair and tapped her lightly on the shoulder before she got far. She spun slowly around and put up her hands in a pathetically defensive position. Mario lowered her hands, which fell easily to her sides. "You're Robin?" Mario asked.

"I know," the Yoshi answered rather tipsily. "Now wait a sec. I want to sing this song. Hey, I know! You sing with me!"

"W-what? No way!" Mario cried.

"Just do it!" Robin ordered, trying to pull him up onto the table.

"Stop it! I don't want to-"

"Okay, Mario, in the words of my two favorite…in the words of my very favorite singer…Just dance! It'll be okay!"

Mario stared confusedly at her as she grabbed him and dragged him to the middle of the table. Clearing her throat, she once again began to sing, expecting Mario to sing with her.

"Her favorite singer, eh?" Snow repeated. "She's really gone, isn't she?"

Unfortunately, Mario didn't know what song she was singing, and by the time she reached the chorus, she was glaring at Mario for not cooperating. While she had been belting the tune out (quite off-key), Wishes had been creeping up behind her. Now he screeched at the top of his lungs, "DUDETTE! NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOU SING!"

Robin stopped immediately. The DJ even shut off the track. Everyone stared confusedly at the Star.

But before anyone could say anything, a red Yoshi burst through the door and shouted, "He's coming! He's after us! He's coming!"

"Who's coming? Who's after us?" Mario demanded to no one in particular.

"I found his sign on a rock!" the Yoshi cried, completely ignoring him. He held up a medium-sized stone on which was drawn a blue heart with frills and embroidery in it. In the middle a large R was written in cursive that slanted to the left.

Every voice in the bar rose instantly in a scream of unbridled terror. The red Yoshi ran out to show his prize to the rest of the Yoshis, and it wasn't long before the entire town was squealing in horror.

After a few moments of trying to push past Yoshis to get to the door, the party made it outside. They discovered that the sky had spontaneously brightened. Lightning seemed to flash at least every second, and it was almost like daylight. Numerous tables and chairs were upset. Gardens and decorations were disfigured beyond recognition. Many Yoshis were trying to remove patches of grass; Mario glimpsed trap doors underneath.

But before he could help or fix anything, he heard a ghoulish cackle. The steel gates suddenly burst open, and a tall person in a bounty hunter's outfit strode in, laughing and holding up a large gun.

The person pulled the trigger suddenly, and a net shot out at a violet Yoshi in a fishing hat. The Yoshi attempted to dodge, but it was hopeless-the net closed quickly with him inside. The hunter captured five more Yoshis in this fashion. All of their friends and family ran after them, but it was no use. The nets retracted immediately.

The hunter laughed again and shouted-Mario could tell it was a male-"Did I interrupt your little parade? Oh, you poor things! Well, bon soir, suckers! It is I, Reverie, Yoshi Hunter, once again! …Ahem!" he added after a few moments.

"Da-dun-do!" chanted an invisible choir a few feet away.

Reverie nodded approval. "Now," he yelled so everyone could hear, "you little twerps are mine! Take this as your latest Easter warning!"

"Mardi Gras," Mario told him.

"Whatever!" Reverie shrieked angrily. "Mardi Gras, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, whatever! Hallelujah!"

Then, as quickly as he had appeared, he turned and flew out of the village, cackling as he went.

Mario stared after him, half-confused and half-shocked. "I don't know what just happened…" he murmured.

Some friends of the newly captured Yoshis began to weep. Kaden walked over to the party.

"That was Reverie," he told Mario. "But…you probably figured that out. He comes here every year to take some of us away to his castle. He came early this year, or we would have been better prepared. I'm…really sorry you had to see that."

"No, I'm sorry for you," Mario replied. "I can't believe you have to go through this every year."

"Well, like I said, it wouldn't normally be this hectic if we'd known it was coming," Kaden explained. "I wish you wouldn't have to see this disaster happen right after you get here."

Mario frowned. "I can't imagine what it must be like."

Before either one could say any more, there was suddenly a hideous shouting that rang through the city. "Th-they didn't get my-my…ugh…my sis…they didn't get my sister, did they?" Mario recognized Robin's voice and rushed towards the now destroyed inn.

"Robin?" he called.

She was sitting on a broken chair, and a few other Yoshis had gathered around her. She turned towards Mario with a horribly distraught look on her face. "Oh, it's you!" she cried, clutching the plumber's shoulders with inhuman strength. "Tell me, did they get Hattie? They can't get Hattie…"

"Hattie is fine," Kaden assured her, walking up from behind the two of them. "You don't have to worry."

Robin sighed, both in relief and weariness. "I need to go tell Hattie to be extra careful. Reverie could come back anytime."  
She tried to stand up and failed miserably. "_O_kay, that's enough." Mario helped her to a standing position, but had to hold her up. "Why don't my friends and I go talk to your sister, and you go home, okay?"

"Well, first of all," Robin began, waving her finger in front of Mario's face, "I live with my sister, so I'd have to come with you anyway. "And second of all…you're not allowed to go see Hattie without Robin's permission."

"She's really _really_ gone," Snow muttered.

"Oh, wait, _I'm_ Robin, aren't I?" the Yoshi giggled. "Okay, then. You can see Hattie. Just be-gulp-careful what you say."

"How come?" Mario asked.

"Carry me!" Robin completely ignored him and closed her eyes, holding her arms out for Mario to pick her up.

"Seriously?" Mario demanded. Robin nodded with her eyes still closed. Mario sighed and hauled her up into his arms.

As the party walked through town, being given directions by Robin, Mario said to his partners, "You know, whenever this happens, the _Yoshi_ is always carrying _me_."

**:::::**

The house Robin eventually led the party to was very large, but not nearly as fancy as the others. Mario was going to ask why this house wasn't as elegant, but she probably wouldn't give him a real answer anyway.

"Hattie!" Robin called. "Can we come in?"

"Are you over eighteen years of age?" a voice identical to Robin's, though not as zealous, replied.

"No," Robin answered.

"Are you here as one of my daily staff?" the other person asked.

"No," Robin replied with an annoyed look on her face.

"Are you my sister?"

"Yes," Robin sighed.

"Request accepted, the door is unlocked."

Mario opened the door and walked in. He was shocked at what he saw. Whatever wasn't tasteful about the outside of this building was made up for several times over by the inside. The soft carpet under the party was crimson, the type of crimson that made people fall in love. At the end of the hall was the grand room that was unlike anything Mario had ever seen. The floor was painted pure black. It almost looked electric. But somehow it was also polished. When Mario looked closer, he discovered the floor had glass covering it. A pearl spiraling staircase winded from the west end of the living room. Finally, Mario noticed that the white walls were much too thin to hold up the building; numerous golden pillars were placed throughout the rooms.

"Hi, Hattie!" Robin laughed, jumping out of Mario's arms and skipping into the living room. Mario and his partners followed.

Amongst many sofas, armchairs, a piano, a television, a door to a patio, and a fireplace, there lay a single rocking chair in the northeast corner of the room. In it sat another, lighter blue Yoshi with her arms rested peacefully on the arms and her eyes narrowed. She was staring at Robin in a questioning way, as though demanding an explanation for the group of oddballs standing in her living room.

"Hello, Robin," she greeted her.

"This is my sister, Hattie," Robin explained.

"Good evening," Hattie muttered. "So what do you want, Robin?"

"Oh, well, Reverie came tonight," Robin told her. "I wanted to come and make sure I'm with you in case she comes back soon."

"What else can she do to me?" Hattie demanded. Mario noticed that she stayed in the exact same spot throughout the conversation. "It's not like there's much more to take!"

"What is she talking about?" Jazz asked confusedly.

"Well, there's something you need to know about Hattie before you ask her anything," Robin replied.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Hattie shouted. "And my name is Hattison! Not 'Hattie'! That's just a stupid nickname you invented because you're too stupid to say my full name!"

"Well, yeah, she's right," Robin conceded. "Our names are actually Robinson and Hattison LaFarr, but I think those names sound too boy-ish. _Anyway_, like I was saying, there's something you should know before you say anything to my sister. She's…uh, what's the word…quadriplegic. Yeah, that's the word."

"So you remember what condition I have, but you won't use my real name?" Hattie yelled.

**:::::**

**There we go, guys! I hope you liked this part. And I also hope you liked the awesome characters we met.**

**Tell me what you thought, and I'll be back soon.**

**See ya!**


	60. Twilight: Part III

**Hey, guys. HOW YA DOING. Yeah. I'm doing dang well, and I hope you are too. Anyway, it's time for part three now, and I am once again excited!**

**YAY POTATOE!**

**I don't own Mario, yeah whatever. Let's go.**

**:::::**

Mario stood there staring at the floor for several moments, taking in this new revelation. "Wow, Hattie, I didn't know."

"Hattison!" she shouted, her eyes mere slits. "It's Hattison! Now stop calling me stupid names! Just tell me what you're doing at our house!"

"Okay…" Mario sighed. This would not go well. Hattie was quite bitter at the party, to be nice. Mario could understand from a person with such a condition, but this was still extreme. "Well, it starts with Plathora. See, up there they have something called the Cloud of Dreams, which has been split into seven Cloud Fragments…Troy wants them to destroy the world, but we've been looking for them…and now we have five. We're trying to find a sixth one here, and we were directed to you as someone who might know such things."

Hattie glared at him throughout the explanation. "So you think you're some big hero because you have to find these things?" she demanded.

Mario wasn't sure how and if he was supposed to respond. Apparently he wasn't, as Hattie continued to speak. "I guess I should tell you I applaud your efforts to save the world and all that."

Mario smiled.

"Yeah, but then I'd be lying."

Mario sighed deeply, trying to keep his patience. Turning to Robin, he said, "Robin, I think it would be best if we could talk to Hattie-"

"Ahem!"

"Excuse me, _Hattison_, alone."

Robin nodded understandingly and walked upstairs.

"Now," Mario continued, turning back towards Hattie. "Once again, we were wondering if you know anything about the Cloud Fragments."

"Why would I tell you anything?" Hattie asked with a bored look on her face.

"Listen, Hattie, we just-" Mario began.

"No, _you_ listen, bub!" Hattie yelled. "I don't have to answer to you, okay? I know who you are. You're Mario, the world famous big shot. Well, listen up. You don't know what even happened, so I won't let you judge me, okay? Won't let you!"

"Well, could you tell me?" Mario asked meekly.

Hattie's glared lightened from rabid to violent when he said this, which Mario decided was a good sign. "I suppose you deserve that much…" she mumbled. "See, Reverie is a cruel and evil person. So one day…about five years ago, I think…yeah, five years ago, because those special quinquennial daisies are in bloom again this year…I had an idea that I would go and get rid of him, once and for all. I was much, um, happier a person then. It seemed smart at the time, but looking back on it I know it was stupid. Anyway, I told everyone not to come, because I didn't want anyone to get hurt if things didn't go well.

"Anyway…things didn't. I found Reverie, and we went to battle. But it was pretty well hopeless. Reverie…well, he can do things to you that, if you ever survive, you train yourself to forget them. I actually did. At one point, I rushed at him, and he jumped up behind me and gave me a nasty blow to the back.

"I don't know how long I was out, but sometime later I remember a bunch of my friends picking me up and hauling me somewhere, and the next thing I knew I was in the hospital. My nurses said I must have been unconscious in Ievan Forest for at least a week. Apparently, Reverie had dumped me somewhere after he knocked me out. After a few months, the doctors said I would be able to leave, but that I'd be paralyzed from my neck down. I was just shocked that they would tell me that, but you know, I've carried on."

Mario noticed that she became more and more excited to speak as the story went on, and he was about to tell her how amazed he was at what had happened until Snow broke in.

"Yeah, carrying on in a boring mansion with nobody to talk to and nothing to do," she reminded the Yoshi.

Hattie took a deep breath and stared down at the floor again. When she looked back up, the glare had returned.

"I'll have you know that I have daily helping staff that help me through my day, and I get to talk to them," she informed the party.

"Well, that must be nice," Mario guessed.

Hattie clenched her teeth. "Oh, you think so? Well, you don't know what it's like, Mr. World Famous Big Shot! Every day, someone different. Every day, that same worried face. Every day, it's all the same. But you know what? I know that they all hate me. If it weren't for me, they wouldn't have to take time out of their days. Even my own friends resent me, and everyone wishes I hadn't been saved from the forest. In fact, they'd probably have kicked me out of this place by now if it weren't for the mayor. He thinks I'm some sort of hero, so he lets me stay here. But it's horrible, you know! I'm constantly surrounded by people who hate me, just because I wanted to do something good for this city…"

"Come on, Hattie, it can't be that bad," Mario tried to console her.

"You don't know!" Hattie sobbed loudly, burying her face in her lap. Robin rushed back downstairs.

"Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"Hattie told us how she got the way she is," Mario explained.

Robin nodded and bit her lip. "It's a sad story," she sighed. "I was one of the last of us to know what had happened, and I'm even her sister. I cried too when I first found out, you know."

"I'm so sorry about it," Mario said sympathetically, though he knew it probably didn't mean much, especially to Hattie.

"I know how you feel," Jazz told the weeping Yoshi as Robin helped her back up. "My sister died five years ago in a big freak accident."

"Do I recognize you?" Hattie asked.

"Jazz Jefferson," the Boo introduced himself.

"From the-the circus?" Hattie suddenly smiled brightly. "I loved you guys! You were so cool…"

Her smile then darkened to a frown again. "But Jay was in that fire, wasn't she?"

Jazz swallowed painfully. "Yep. That was her," he confirmed.

Mario hated to break up the emotional conversation, but the party had to get the Cloud Fragment eventually. "So, Hattie, can you tell us anything?"

Hattie looked at Mario again. "Okay, Mario, I forgot. What exactly did you want to know again?"

Mario sighed. "The Cloud Fragments?"

"Of course," Hattie said with an embarrassed chuckle. "I, uh…See, I know what that is…but I don't know anything about there being one here. I'm sorry, but I don't know."

"Oh," was all Mario could say.

"Maybe there's one of those things in Reverie's castle," Robin suggested. "I think that would make sense."

"Yeah, well, trouble is, I don't remember anything from the fight or any of that stuff," Reverie complained, sounding sour and regretful. "I think it was called Star Castle, though, so maybe that would help."

"Don't worry, it does," Mario assured. "We'd have to ask somebody who's traveled a lot, someone who knows lots of places and people."

The party thought for a moment before Koopetto suddenly got an idea. "Gillis," he said. "He's pretty well sure he knows everything. Maybe we should talk to him about this."

"That's an idea," Mario agreed. "We'll try that. But if the boat only leaves in the morning, we'll have to stay in the village for the night."

"You can stay here," Robin offered. Hattie stared at her for a moment.

"Are you sure?" Mario asked. Robin nodded vigorously.

The plumber shrugged and thanked her. Robin showed them all to their rooms, which were all extremely fancy. "Thanks again, Robin," Mario said, sitting on his bed.

"No problem, Mario," Robin giggled. "Sleep well."

As she left the room and walked slowly downstairs, Mario suddenly decided her voice was pitchy and annoying.

**:::::**

Mario opened his eyes halfway. Looking over at the clock, he saw that it was already eight thirty. The party would have to get a move on if they wanted to get to the boat in time. After dressing in his traditional clothes (for some reason, Robin and Hattie had every possible outfit in their closets you could imagine), he quickly woke his partners and asked them to hurry getting ready.

Downstairs, he saw Hattie, sitting in the exact same position as yesterday. "Did you sleep in that chair?" he asked.

"I always do," she replied.

"Would you like to come with us to see Gillis?" he offered. He hadn't thought of this before, but the idea just now came to his mind.

"And take that dumb boat to Paratonis?" Hattie almost laughed. "No thank you."

"Are you sure? Because I think it might be nice for you," Mario insisted. Hattie shook her head.

"Okay then," Mario sighed. "Guys, are you ready?" he called upstairs.

"Chill out, Mr. Pushy," Snow muttered, running down the stairs, along with Koopetto. "The others will be down soon. Besides, didn't Goomessa say something weird about time passing faster when you went through the forest? So it should go slower if we go back the other way."

"That was almost smart," Koopetto remarked, sounding honestly surprised. Snow glared at him.

But before either of them could speak, Goomessa and Fluzz hopped quickly down, followed shortly by Wishes and Jazz. "Okay, we're all set…" Mario trailed off. "Let's go, fast."

The party rushed out, bid goodbye by Robin, and ran back through town. "Eight thirty-five," Snow told Mario.

Kaden called after them, asking what they were rushing for, as they sped past the remains of the bar. Mario would have answered, but the Yoshi didn't bother to follow them, and they were quite pressed for time. "Eight thirty-eight," Snow said as they passed under the trees that led into the forest.

About fifteen minutes to get through the forest, Mario figured, and another two at most to reach the ship. They'd definitely make it in time.

He sighed in relief as they exited the forest not too long after. Luckily, nothing tried to get in their way. One of the Toad conductors was calling for passengers to get on the ship in the distance as they ran at top speed across the field. They almost plowed into the conductor as they raced up the entrance platform. "Seven minutes to spare!" Snow cheered as the party stopped running and began panting.

"Good thing, too, because I felt really awkward staying in the same house with Hattie," Goomessa commented. "I went down in the middle of the night for a glass of water, and she was sleeping in the chair, sitting straight up. It was creepy."

"Let's go to our room," Mario decided. "We can take another chance to relax."

"I vote we head to the buffet!" Wishes exclaimed.

"I say the tanning salon," Goomessa argued.

"I want to get a haircut," Snow sniffed.

"Okay, okay," Mario stopped them. "I'll give you all some coins, and you do whatever it is you want to do. Sound good?"

His partners all agreed, and as soon as Mario had given them their money, they dashed off in different directions, leaving Mario standing alone in the middle of the lobby. The plumber sat down in one of the chairs, thinking about finding the next cloud Fragment. If it was in Star Castle, as Robin had suggested, then Gillis would definitely be able to point them there. He knew where everything was. But if the Fragment was somewhere else, then who knew how long this one would take to find.

He decided to go to the room by himself. The suite was just as the party had left it, right down to the chess pieces scattered all over the apple wood coffee table. Mario decided there was nothing much to do besides sleep or read, considering no one else was here, so he took his book from the balcony into one of the bedrooms and curled up underneath the covers. No matter what his partners might say about this boat, it was supreme compared to most of the places they'd stayed.

**:::::**

"Attention, guests, we will soon be docking in Paratonis," a Toad conductor announced. "Please pack your luggage and prepare to exit the ship"

Mario woke from his nap and crawled out of bed. He hoped his partners were in the suite by now.

Walking out through the curtain, he wasn't disappointed. All of his friends were gathered in the room, putting various things into cases. Mario joined them. Soon, they were ready to leave.

"I hope you enjoyed your trip," the conductors said as the party left the ship. Mario nodded and lead his partners towards the pipe to Gillisville.

"I hate that boat," Snow whined. "Apparently, the ship rocks so much that it's hard for them to do styling and all that. The lady almost cut right through my skin twice!"

"Don't get a haircut next time," Fluzz told her simply.

"Do we _really_ have to take the boat next time?" the Toadette asked Mario. "I'd honestly prefer flying."

"Unless the airport's fixed, which I doubt," Mario replied.

"Traveling is dumb," Snow muttered as the party hopped into the pipe.

**:::::**

"You think you know where the next Cloud Fragment is, eh?" Gillis prompted. "Well, where is it?"

"We're pretty sure it's in a place called Star Castle," Mario answered. "Can you tell us anything about that?"

"Star Castle?" Gillis repeated, a look of horror on his face. "Well that's…not good."

"Why not? What harm could it be?" Goomessa asked.

"Well, it's very dangerous to traverse and almost more dangerous to get to," Gillis told them. "Star Castle is, in effect, in space."

"What?" Mario demanded. "In space? How are we supposed to get there? A giant bomb cannon? A magic portal door? 'Cause I know how to use those."

"No…there is but one way," Gillis replied, walking to his bookshelf and returning with a large encyclopedia with an S on the spine. "The book here says that the only way to get there is with the world's smallest rocket. It's the only spacecraft small enough to land on the planet Star Castle is on."

"Where do we find that?" Mario asked.

"It's in the middle of a small burg called Blossom Grove," Gillis explained. "You should find it in the very west part of Paratonis-northwest of here, actually. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Thanks, Gillis," Mario said gratefully. "This helps a lot."

Gillis nodded and saw them out. Mario led his partners back to the pipe.

"Looks like we've got a party-crasher to crash," the plumber remarked. His partners agreed as they all jumped in.

**:::::**

**I think we'll stop there.**

**So what do you think so far? Like it? Yes? No? Maybe?**

**Tell me please.**

**See ya!**


	61. Twilight: Part IV

**Hello, guys. Wassabi? Did that make sense? No?**

**Okay then. Yawyna, time for to be part four of chapter six. Yep. This chapter is going by fast too. It's kind of sad, although it will be nice to get to chapter seven. I LOVE CHAPTER SEVEN.**

**Anyway, I don't own Mario or anything.**

**It's made of granite! Solid rock, heavy stuff!**

**So yeah. Let's get going before I make too many more references to random shows.**

**:::::**

"Okay, let's get to this Blossom Grove place," Mario ordered. "Apparently it's not too far away, and we need to get to Star Castle as soon as we can."

The party walked across town to the west as far as they could go. Reading from the map, Mario figured out where they were. Every two minutes, he discovered they were either walking in the wrong direction or they'd walked past the entranceway to Blossom Grove. "Okay, it _is_ close," Mario explained, looking up and to the northwest. "We missed it again, but it's right around here…"

"Are you sure it's even there?" Snow asked, sounding annoyed. "Because you've been telling us it's there for ten minutes."

"It has to be here somewhere," Mario insisted, though he was frustrated as well. "Uh, the map says it's right behind us."

"Well, it isn't there," Wishes grumbled. "And there isn't anything there you can't already see."

"How does it say we're supposed to get there?" Goomessa asked, trying to sound patient among the impatience of most of the others. "Does it specifically say what we have to do?"

"Not really," Mario replied hopelessly. "Though the map is kind of torn and messed up here, so I can't tell."

"We might need help," Koopetto suggested. "We might go back to Gillis and ask him if he knows where to find this place. Besides, if Troy's looking for this thing, then considering how long it's taking us to get there, who knows how long it'll take him, you know? If Gillis knows anything, great. And, if he doesn't…" He trailed off.

"What?" Snow prompted.

"I dunno."

Mario sighed and nodded. "I guess he's right. Gillis is the first person I'd expect to know this stuff, so we'll ask him."

His partners half-heartedly agreed. Mario let out a slow breath before turning around and heading back for the pipe.

**:::::**

Mario knocked a few times on the door before Gillis answered. "Back so soon?" he asked with a face that Mario couldn't tell whether it was a smile or a frown. "What do you need?"

"Uh, well…" Mario bit his lip. "We couldn't figure out how to get to Blossom Grove. We're not sure what we're supposed to do. Can you help us at all?"

Gillis folded his arms and lay against the wall. "Isn't this interesting," he said, more to himself than to the others. "So they're still obsessed with this."

"Obsessed with what?" Mario asked.

"The people of Blossom Grove have a strict policy that no one can enter that isn't part of this secret society," Gillis explained. "I just thought they didn't require it anymore."

"Secret society?" Mario repeated. "How do you know about this?"

"I was part of it," Gillis answered, his eyes half-closed and a dazed grimace on his face. "It's mostly broken up now. But apparently Blossom Grove is still prepossessed by the idea that no one but the society should go there."

"Why just the grove?" Mario asked.

"It used to be the headquarters," Gillis replied. "It's been…seven years since we broke up, though. I can't see why they still wouldn't let anyone else in."

"Did you say you used to be part of the society?" Mario clasped his hands as an idea formed in his head.

"Yes," Gillis confirmed briefly. "That's how I traveled so much, you know."

"Yes, well…" Mario began. "Could you possibly come with us to Blossom Grove so we can get in?"

"And this is why I feared telling you about the secret society," Gillis said spitefully, suddenly standing up straight and glaring at Mario. "People ask for favors whenever they find out."

"But Gillis, don't you-" Mario began.

"Yeah, I'll come with you," Gillis cut him off, the hazy expression returning to his face. "But I have to tell you, it's not fun. The citizens of Blossom Grove are a nasty bunch. To put it simply, they hate tourists. They'll probably tolerate you because I'm with you, but you'd better stay on their good sides. I'm just warning you."

"Oh, _this'll_ be fun," Jazz muttered. "Are you sure they won't hate us?"

"Almost entirely."

**:::::**

The group eventually made it to where the map said was the entrance to Blossom Grove. Gillis sighed and walked up towards some of the trees at the end of Paratonis. "Open the door!" he shouted. Presently a section of the trees fell away, as though made of paper, revealing what looked like a train station.

"This is how we get to Blossom Grove?" Snow demanded.

"We get to take the subway!" Gillis explained, sounding oddly giddy. "I love this thing."

"Well, if this is the only way," Mario decided reluctantly. Subways were never fun.

"Hurry, get on, fasten your seat belts," Gillis ordered. Once the party was on the train, he signaled for the driver to go. Mario was about to relax before the subway began moving. The plumber was immediately pinned against his chair. The vehicle must have been moving at least ninety miles per hour. He was quite sure his partners let out surprised cries.

"Gillis!" Mario shouted. "Why would-oof!"

Before he could finish, the subway came to a very sudden, very painful stop. Mario's seat belt snapped. Gillis stared amusedly at him. "Are you quite okay?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, but if you keep laughing, you won't be," Mairo seethed. "You could have told us the train was this fast!"

"Yeah, but that's boring," Gillis answered, stepping off the subway. "And here we are!"

Mario followed him off and was consequently shocked by the utter beauty of the town. The grass was lush and the perfect shade of green, daisies and tulips dotted the ground, sculptures of various famous people centered each intersection in the dirt path, the afternoon sun shone brightly on it all…and the air smelled like butterscotch.

"Now, be quiet," Gillis whispered. "These people won't want to hear a word from you guys."

"Gee, that makes me feel great about coming here," Mario replied, mocking a smile. Gillis glared at him for a second before turning back around.

As the group walked through Blossom Grove, Mario found that it was more than the 'small burg' Gillis had previously described it as. It was also very cultured and diverse. Members of almost every species Mario had ever seen lived here, but they were obviously quite unwilling to speak with the party. The only word they would say was to each other, and it was a condescending, disapproving, and intentionally conspicuous: "Tourists." Mario almost felt like a convict.

Gillis led the party to the very west end of town, where they found a large house that was quite nicely decorated. Before it lay a long flight of stairs. "Go inside," he told them. Mario stared blankly at him.

"But these people hate us," Mario reminded him.

"This is the home of the mayor," Gillis told him. "He's not going to be rude, I promise. Just tell him you need to use the rocket, and I'm sure he'll understand."

"Gillis, I'm not very comfortable talking to these people without you with us," Mario complained.

"Oy," Gillis sighed. "Fine, come with me."

He promptly grabbed Mario by the wrist and dragged him up the stairs to the mayor's house. Mario followed awkwardly, trying to keep up. His partners ran up after them.

Gillis knocked impatiently on the door. After a moment, the door opened to a Magikoopa in silver robes. Mario had hardly seen these outside battle, and was a bit shocked when the door opened.

"Good afternoon, Gillis," he greeted the Koopa with a smile. "And…who are your friends?"

"This is Mario," Gillis explained. "And these are his friends whose names currently escape me."

Mario's partners were not amused to hear that, but the Magikoopa kept speaking before anyone could say anything.

"I am Xavier," he introduced himself, shaking Mario's hand. "What do you need today, Gillis?"

"Well, I was wondering if Mario could use the rocket to get to Star Castle," Gillis answered.

"The Blossom Roger?" Xavier asked, sounding suddenly irritated.

"Of course," Gillis replied.

"That's a big question," Xavier told him. "You have nerve, Gillis."

"That's me."

"You know our policies," Xavier continued. "The only way for us to allow tourists to use the rocket is if a member-or, former member-of the society accompanies them."

Mario looked straight at Gillis. The Koopa looked at him and then back at Xavier.

"Oh, no," he said in response to their unasked question. "There is _no way_ I am going to Star Castle. Its just not happening."

"But Gillis, this is for the Cloud Fragment!" Mario protested.

"No!" Gillis shouted, turning away and crossing his arms. "I'm not going. I can't. I won't!"

"Well, who else is there in the secret society?" Mario demanded.

"It was a large group," Xavier explained. "Almost everywhere you go, you should be able to find someone. But in case you don't need anyone in particular, I have the entire list memorized."

"The entire list?" Mario repeated.

"Indeed," Xavier replied. "Anywhere you'd like to find someone from?"

"Ievan Heights," Mario answered, saying the first thing that came to his head.

"Oh, the heights," Xavier murmured, thinking for a moment. "Ah, I have one. If you want to go to the heights for someone, you should talk to Hattison LaFarr."

"Hattie?" Mario cried. "She was part of the society?"

"Why, yes," Xavier confirmed, sounding confused. "Is there a problem?"

"No, not really, it's just…she's so unhappy about everything," Mario answered.

"Remember, Gillis said the society broke up about seven years ago," Goomessa reminded him. "Hattie's accident was two years after."

"Oh, right…" Mario nodded for a moment. "So that would mean she was with you guys since before she was nine."

"It took all sorts," Xavier told him. "Hattison was one of our best workers."

"What did you guys do anyway?" Koopetto asked.

"You get to know nothing!" Xavier answered, his eyes suddenly wide, slamming the door.

Gillis sighed, shaking his head, and turned to Koopetto. "We were a group of people doing the whole 'trying to make the world a better place' thing by helping the environment and all that. There was another group that was against us. They wanted the same goals as us, but they wanted to achieve them in different ways. I guess looking back on it, we all kind of had a bad mentality about everything. We wanted to do what we wanted to do, but we didn't really know what we were doing."

Mario nodded. "That's pretty interesting, Gillis. I had no idea you had been involved in something that important."

"Well, I'm glad you think so," Gillis replied, smiling. "But we should leave before anyone gets mad at you for staying too long."

"But do we have to take the stupid subway again?" Snow asked exasperatedly.

Gillis nodded simply, not looking sympathetic in the slightest.

**:::::**

"Thanks again, Gillis," Mario acknowledged the Koopa as they were about to leave his house.

"Don't mention it," Gillis replied. "Good luck at Star Castle."

"Thanks, we'll need it," Mario answered. Gillis smiled wide and closed the door.

"Okay, now we just need to stay the night somewhere, and tomorrow, we'll go back to Ievan Heights," Mario decided. "We need to get Hattie, finally convince her to come with us to Blossom Grove, and hopefully we'll know what to do from there."

"Great," Snow muttered. "And at what point on this trip are we going to figure out that _that boat is stupid?_"

"Stop whining," Mario told her. "Right now, it's the only way to the heights, so it's what we've got to do."

Snow rolled her eyes as the party began to walk towards the pipe, and he was pretty sure he heard "Nobody listens to anything I say" but he lacked the energy to care.

Back in Paratonis, the gang made their way back to the Golden Candle. By now the sun was beginning to set. Mario decided the party should get as much rest as they could for Star Castle tomorrow. The party all gladly got into bed, and it was easy to get to sleep after a long day.

**:::::**

"Let's go, guys," Mario ordered as his partners got ready to leave. They had about ten minutes to get to the ship. As his friends finished re-packing what they'd set down the night before, the party left. They were easily able to reach the ship before it began moving, and as the party walked to their room, Mario thought about something that had been picking at his mind for quite a while now.

"You look like you're just dying to say something, Mario," Goomessa remarked as the party began to relax in the suite. "Is there something on your mind?"

"Well, it's something I was wondering to myself," the plumber replied awkwardly. "Did you notice we haven't been bothered by Dark Rainbow yet?"

Before Goomessa could answer there was a beep from the intercom. Mario looked expectantly up at it. For a moment there was the sound of struggling for the microphone, accompanied by feedback. Afterwards, one of the Toad conductors began explaining frantically, "There is a green monster on the loose. Repeat, there is a green monster on the loose. Please remain calm, but close and lock all doors and windows. Again, please close and lock all doors and windows."

"You just _had_ to go and jinx it, didn't you?" Snow yelled from one of the bedrooms.

**:::::**

**So what did you think? I hope you liked this one, 'cause it's almost frickin time for the party to get to Star Castle, and when we get there things get very interestink.**

**Yes, I know that isn't a word.**

**By the way, major Kudos to whoever knows what Blossom Roger is from. I don't that thing, however.**

**So anyway, tell me what you thought, and next time, we're going to get to the next member of Dark Rainbow.**

**See ya!**


	62. Twilight: Part V

**Hey, people. How are you today? Are you good?**

**No?**

**HOORAY.**

**Yeah, I don't know how you actually answered that question, but guess what?**

**Banannister!**

**Anyway, it's time for part five of chapter six. I don't own Mario, and now you can't sue me. Don't you feel deprived?**

**Well, no matter how you planned to respond, I'm going to get started.**

**:::::**

Most of the party began scrambling around, locking the doors and the windows as the Toad conductor had instructed. Mario rolled his eyes. If a member of Dark Rainbow really wanted to get through a locked door, it would.

"Oh, but how are we going to catch it?" Goomessa cried, in a terrified voice that was completely unlike her. "This is bad…how can we get that thing on this gigantic ship if we won't even leave the room?"

"Could you _possibly_ calm down?" Wishes demanded. "It's probably looking for us anyway, so if we wait here, we should be fine. We've all got to stay calm, okay?"

"Yes…yes, you're right, Wishes," Mario agreed. "Now let's relax and just wait for…whatever the name of the green one is. What was it? This is going to kill me."

"Yeah, it's not the only thing," yelled a sarcastic voice from above. Mario looked up and dashed out of the way just in time to escape being crushed by the falling green person that burst through the ceiling. "How are you doing, Mario?" it asked in a sickeningly sour tone. "Oh, wait! I don't care."

"I just _have_ to jinx everything, don't I?" Mario sighed.

"I didn't ask for your life story!" the green person half-laughed, half-growled. "And you'd better beware, because you don't want to mess with Green Blades!"

"Oh yeah, that was it," Mario chuckled.

"Yeah, it was, now shut up," Green Blades ordered, an axe forming magically in its hands. "'Cause you know, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Take…your…pick."

Mario smirked at Blades and took out his hammer. "Goomessa?"

"Already on it," the Goombette confirmed, quickly searching Green Blades. "Okay, here he-or, um, it, I don't know-is. Green Blades. The middle member of Dark Rainbow, Blades is designed to be much stronger than the previous three members. Max Hp is 24, attack is 4, and defense is 2. And while it has lots of power and endurance, it attacks with a really heavy hatchet, so it's not as fast as some of the rest of Dark Rainbow. But we'll have to be really careful around that axe. The book says just to avoid whatever it throws at you and hold out as best you can."

Green Blades looked fully amused throughout her explanation, as though she was being comedic, and not at all serious. "You think you have any chance at _all_ of defeating me? What a joke! I would laugh, but you aren't worth the energy."

"Yeah, we'll see," Mario muttered as the party rushed up to Blades and began to attack. Blades seemed completely indifferent to their attacks, and it almost appeared as though it was completely unharmed. It just kept attacking relentlessly with the hatchet.

Mario found out quickly that an axe was not an easy thing to dodge. It was at least a simple task to get away from Blades if it was going to attack, but the hatchet itself was difficult to take. The party continued to attack, but they were taking about as much as they were giving out.

"You guys obviously didn't go to Harvard," Blades laughed vivaciously. "Because you need to be smarter that this if you think you're going to get anywhere. You know, I _do_ enjoy a challenge."

At this point able to ignore Blades's constant insults, the party just kept giving all they had. Blades began looking worried, but it still kept firing off slices and insults with addicted precision. But it wasn't until around ten minutes into the battle that things turned really horrible.

Blades turned on Snow and Goomessa and began to speak in a wildly disdainful tone: "Goomessa and Snow, the teenage females. Pathetic. I feel so sorry for the two of you."

"What are you talking about?" Goomessa demanded.

Hopping backwards until it was in the very middle of the room, Blades answered. "Teenage girls are the _most irrelevant_ group of people on the planet, don't you know. Not irrelevant because you don't matter, because none of us matter. I'm saying that you people are the most fickle, empty-brained, glaringly unintelligent people here. Why must you exist? Can you tell me?"

Without waiting for an answer, Blades rounded on Koopetto. "And you, Koopetto, are the optimistic, personal, shallow piece of superficiality. You just parrot everything everybody says, and you're sure you'll never have to think, because if you just act happy all the time, it's fine, right? Well, if you didn't know, that's not how this world works. In the real world-outside your little baby bubble-it's considered a good idea to have an opinion. Get one."

Koopetto stared, shocked, at Blades as it turned to stare at Fluzz. "Ah, Fluzz," it chuckled. "You're the one that's too excited for your own good. The one who just can't contain anything. The only one of you all who ever actually pulled a slip of paper out of the hat of substance, and I don't even know how _that_ happened! I can stare into the abyss that it your soul, and it stares back at me. Get a clue, Fluzz. No one wants to hear how deep you think you are."

Wishes's eyes widened as Green Blades made a 180 and faced him. "Ha. Wishes, Wishes, Wishes. The 'smart' one. So intellectual. And so predictable. You think that because you know everything about everything, no one is as sophisticated as you are or as cool as you are. Well guess what, Wishes? You aren't fancy, you aren't better than anybody. If anything, you're worse just for thinking it. Understand?"

And finally, he faced Jazz. "Ah, Jazz! The one from the circus! I remember you! You have this idea that because you had a tragic accident that everyone should kneel down and kiss your feet and feel so sorry for you. What an icon! What an idol! You can live with the death of your equally famous yet stupid sister! Now let me bring you back to reality for a few seconds. People die. All the time, people die. You aren't any more special than anyone else, just because you lost a family member. This stupid attitude doesn't make you cool, it's just annoying."

Mario formed an idea as Blades whipped around to look at him with a grin on its face. "And Mario. Famous Mario. Glorious Mario. The one who makes history. You're so fun and easygoing, so determined and eager to please. It really touches me right here."

Blades pointed at its heart and began to laugh. Fortunately, he had been so into his speech that he had quite failed to notice Mario creeping towards him, hammer bared.

"No wait, it actually kind of touches me right about at the stomach area, kind of sickening…You know what you _really_ are, Mario? You're insufferably conceited, and as the hero type, you never realize what you do to people. I mean, start with those you're sure you have to get rid of. How do you think they feel? And what about the people who have relations with them? What if, say, someone who's trying to help you turns out to be your enemy? And while this person has been living, they've made friends. How do their friends feel? Do you ever think about it? No, of course not! You just have to destroy everything in your way. You don't think, you only-what the!"

Having not seen what Mario was about to do, Blades was taken absolutely by surprise as the hammer suddenly came down on it. Blades fell easily to the floor and skidded across it for a few feet before hopping up and glaring venomously at the plumber. "Dirty cheater!" it shouted.

"You might be able to break us down piece by piece," Mario began, twirling his hammer in his hands, "but we won't break down. Understand?"

"Okay, so you win that," Blades muttered. "I guess you aren't the chumps I thoughts you were. But you still can't get to me. I mean, think about this. You don't have anything against me. There may be more of you, but I'm stronger by a long shot…"

Mario watched in confusion as Blades kept rambling on about how less strong the party was, how less smart they were, and generally how much better it was. A grin appeared on the plumber's face as he realized just how stupid Blades actually was. It wasn't that the party couldn't defeat Blades, it was that they were so discouraged by such a barrage of insults that it was difficult to do anything.

"Okay, Blades," Mario interrupted it. "Fine, maybe you _are_ better. Now, what would you call this?"

Mario winked at his partners before the party rushed once again at Blades and began to attack more vigorously than they had before. Blades flew across the room again and quit speaking. The party ran up and kept striking it before it could get up and continue to offend them. It wasn't long before the green monster gave a final defeated gasp and fell theatrically to the ground. "Mad props, Mario. I guess this is what you inspire in people. Death. Aren't you glad?"

Mario stared confusedly at Blades and then his partners, who were doing the same thing.

"Well, I'll see you later, Mario!" Blades chuckled. "Have a horrible day!"

The familiar black lightning struck the floor and Blades disappeared into thin air. Mario shook his head to clear it. "That was disturbing," he murmured. "Now, to make up for whatever injuries we have now, we should get some rest. You think so?"

His partners nodded and agreed, except Goomessa, who was staring at the floor. "I can't believe what that thing said about us. I think it's all true, too. I'm…ashamed."

"So what if it is?" Mario asked. "Blades only said bad things to us. We're not just that. We all have good in us, too. Blades and the rest of Dark Rainbow can only see the bad side of everything. But as long as we keep up our optimism-"

"_Real_ optimism," Koopetto cut in, his eyes twitching.

"then we can't lose," Mario finished.

"Well said," called a voice from the doorway. Mario turned around to see the Toad conductors and Mr. Kirby, who had just spoken.

The Koopa walked up to Mario with a smile. "I guess you guys aren't that stupid. I must apologize for my rudeness the other day. And thank you very much for getting rid of that beast. You seem very capable, and goodness knows you've helped us quite a few times at this point."

"Don't mention it," Mario replied, shaking Kirby's hand. "It's a living."

"Well, I'll let you alone to get some rest," Allen decided. "Let's go, boys."

As the three walked out, Snow chuckled, "And another one sees the light."

**:::::**

The boat finally stopped moving. Mario sighed in relief. They had been a bit off schedule once again, because of Blades, but it wasn't too bad. As the party walked off the ship, Mario stopped to take a breath of fresh air. The next Cloud Fragment was almost in their hands.

The gang started through the forest. Mario wasn't sure how long it would take, but at least they could be pretty sure nothing would jump out at them; this time it was much earlier in the day than the first time they had traveled from Paratonis to the Heights.

Soon enough, the group reached the steel gates and walked determinedly though them. Mario was surprised at the sight at hand. Ievan Village was already almost completely reconstructed. Mario would have expected it still to be in shambles.

"Hello, Mario," Kaden called. "Nice to see you again."

"Hi, Kaden," the plumber answered. "This place already looks great!"

"Well, Reverie's been doing this for forever, we've learned to rebuild fast," Kaden clarified. "What are you doing back, anyway?"

"We need to talk to Hattie again," Mario replied. "We need her to come with us to Blossom Grove."

Kaden snorted. "Good luck," he told him sarcastically. "Hattie isn't going anywhere if she and Robin can help it. Why would you want to take her there anyway?"

"Because we need her to able to use the rocket there," Mario explained.

"Well, best wishes, and again, good luck trying to convince her."

So the party walked on through town and eventually found the mansion Hattie and Robin lived in. Mario knocked on the door, and after a moment, Robin opened the door. "Mario! It's you! Glad to see you! …What are you doing here?"

"We need to see Hattie again," Mario told her.

"Uh, sure," Robin agreed uncertainly, leading the party down the hall and into the living room. Hattie looked up and frowned.

"You're back," she murmured. "What is it?"

"You're not going to take this well…but we need you with us," Mario replied.

Hattie stared up at him, utterly shocked. "Have you gone mad? I can't come with you. I'm…you know, I'm…you know!"

"We'd have someone push you along," Mario decided. "But I have to explain this to you. We know you were in that secret society, and we need you to come with us in the rocket-"

"Wait wait wait!" Hattie cried. "Who told you about the secret society?"

"Gillis," Mario answered.

"What an obnoxious person," Hattie grumbled. "So you need me for the rocket? Why can't you get someone else?"

"Because we don't know anyone else and Gillis won't do it," Mario explained.

"I'm sorry, Mario, but I just can't do it," Hattie told him. "I'm not going back into that world."

"This is disturbingly familiar," Goomessa remarked, and the whole party turned to stare at Jazz.

"Please, Hattie, this is important," Mario pleaded. "We need you. I really don't want to look for anyone else, so please just come with us. You don't have to do anything else, okay?"

"No! I'm not going to. Using the Blossom Roger was never exactly something I had on my bucket list," Hattie told him.

Mario sighed impatiently. "It isn't that bad," he persisted. "You can just stay on the rocket if you like, but we need _someone_ from the society."

"Then get someone else! I'm not going," Hattie yelled. "Now please, get out of my house!"

Mario closed his eyes. "Fine, we'll go. Come on."

"And when you're finished, you can all just go back to your perfect lives," Hattie muttered. Mario looked straight up immediately.

"Did you say perfect? You think our lives are perfect?" he demanded, rounding on Hattie again.

"Oh, I _know_ your lives are perfect!" Hattie sobbed. "Your perfect job, your perfect friends, your perfect helpers who wait on your hand and foot and worship the ground you walk on!"

"Lady, you need a reality check, because our lives are _not_ perfect, far from it," Mario informed her angrily.

Hattie stared at him, her mouth hung open. "R-really?" she stammered. "I thought…"

"Yeah, you thought," Mario agreed. "But Hattie, you judge too quickly. You've known us for, what, fifteen minutes of your life? And you already think that we're too self-important for you. Maybe you should think a little longer about that."

"I guess you're right," Hattie mumbled, embarrassed. "So…are you still accepting requests to come with you?"

Mario smiled. "Of course."

"Then I'd like to go," Hattie told him. "That reality check is going to go a lot better if I'm with you guys."

Robin sighed. "I guess I'll let you go," she decided. "But come back safe, and don't get into any trouble, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." Hattie rolled her eyes amusedly. "Now, where exactly are we going with the rocket?"

"Star Castle," Mario replied before cupping his hand to his mouth. Something told him he shouldn't have said that.

**:::::**

**Okay, there we go! Part five finished! Tell me what you thought, please, and next time we'll be getting into the dungeon of awesomeness.**

**Nothing left to say, so…**

**See ya!**


	63. Twilight: Part VI

**Hey, people. Here we are again at part six of chapter six. IT'S COOL BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SAME NUMBER. Well, sort of.**

**But on to a much more serious matter. Have you taken your talking flying llama pills today?**

**It's a very important question that's been burning in my mind! …For about five seconds.**

**Anyway, it's time for us to start or else the giant singing panda bear with a freakishly high voice well arrest me for bad comedy. So let's go.**

**:::::**

Mario stood there for almost ten seconds, his partners exchanging apprehensive looks, and Robin biting her lip so hard Mario thought she might need surgery to remove her teeth, before the explosion came. And like any good explosion, it was much bigger than he would have expected.

"_What? Star…Star Castle?_" Hattie shrieked. Mario winced and lowered his head. "_Have you gone completely mental or are you pulling some sick joke on me?_"

"Way to go, dude," Snow muttered.

"Be quiet, wise one," Koopetto retorted. "It's not like he told her knowing she would freak out."

"Don't fight, you guys," Goomessa pleaded, stepping in between the two. Snow rolled her eyes, while Koopetto looked down in embarrassment.

"Oh, I am _beyond_ freaking out at this point," Hattie shouted. "Now hurry up and tell me you did _not_ say Star Castle!"

"Well, I would," Mario murmured sheepishly, "but I don't like to lie to my friends."

"_Friend?"_ Hattie repeated, fire in her eyes. "You barge into my house asking about the Cloud Fragments, make me tell you a heartfelt, painful story about how I was almost killed by _Reverie_ at _Star Castle_, and now you're telling me I get to go back for round two? And you have the sheer gall, the sheer idiocy to call me your _friend?_ Who do you even think you are? What even goes on in your messed up head?"

"Well, Hattie, I really don't want to start another fight," Mario told her awkwardly. "Please…just understand that-"

"Understand what? What do I have to understand that is relevant in any way?" Hattie demanded. "What is there in your sick little head that could possibly make this okay?"

"I'm not exactly sure how to respond to that," Mario replied with a confused frown.

"Of course you don't," Hattie muttered. "Why don't you just leave while you still have only one of your feet in your mouth."

Robin looked at Mario and finally decided to save him. "Mario, I think I'm going to talk to Hattie about this. Could you please leave for a moment?" Then glaring at her sister, she continued. "And Hattie, I think you're being very rude to our guests. I would expect better from you, and right now-"

"You're very disappointed, and I should be a lot better than this, and blah, blah, blah, I don't care," Hattie finished. "Why do you always treat me like-"

"I think this is a personal conversation," Goomessa interrupted. "We're gonna…go."

After the party had all left into a side door with a stairwell inside, Snow turned around and stared at the door. "We _have_ to know what they're saying," she decided.

"Guys, I don't think it's good to eaves-" Mario began before Snow shushed him with her head against the door. She then proceeded to give them word-by-word reports of what the Yoshis were saying.

"_As I was saying,_ why do you always treat me like a child?" Hattie shouted. Robin told her to be quiet.

"I'm just worried that you'll get hurt," she explained. "I mean, you're kind of vulnerable, and-"

"Well, I'd be better at this sort of thing if I got out more often," Hattie cut in.

"So wait, you want to go somewhere, but you're refusing to go with Mario? You know…Mario? The famous guy?" Robin asked confusedly.

"Did you _not_ hear our conversation at all?" Hattie demanded. "I'll go somewhere, just _not_ to Star Castle! It's Star Castle! The place with the evil Yoshi Hunter in it who almost killed me!"

Robin paused for a moment before answering. "Well, maybe going back will help you overcome your fear of going places, and-"

"I do not have a fear!" Hattie shouted again. "I am just…you know, I'm just…"

"Afraid," Robin finished spitefully. "I'm sorry for giving my opinion, Hattison, but I'm not very happy with you right now. Now I'm going to say…that I won't pressure you anymore. You don't have to go to Star Castle with Mario. I won't even make you apologize. But you're going to explain to Mario and his friends _why_ you won't go."

Not another word was spoken between the sisters. "She's coming to open the door. Act bored!" Snow whispered loudly. The party promptly sat/laid down and pretended to have been there the whole time.

"You can come into the living room now," Robin told them as she opened the door and peered in.

Mario led his friends out onto the black glass floor and stared expectantly at Hattie.

"Well…after much deliberating," Hattie began, sounding both sarcastic and defeated, "I've decided to grant your request. I'll come with you to Star Castle."

"Wha-really?" Mario was shocked. He had thought Hattie wasn't as proud as this, but he wasn't going to argue. The party would now have a sort of a guide.

"Yeah, really, now let's get out of here before I change my mind," Hattie replied with a scorching glare at her sister. "Just take me to Blossom Grove."

"Sure thing," Mario confirmed. "Do you have a wheelchair or-"

"This rocking chair functions as one," Hattie interrupted. "I just need someone to help me."

Koopetto took the job of wheeling her down the hall. "Okay, to Star Castle," Mario announced as the gang left the house.

"I would thank you kindly _not_ to say that name," Hattie said icily. "It's bad enough that I'm _going_ there."

"Yes ma'am."

**:::::**

"La di dum dum, dee da dee," she hummed to herself. "Let's see what I have today. Oh, where's that silly clipboard? He's always getting away…"

Skipping around the room, she began throwing things from piles in search of her ruby-encrusted clipboard. "Oh, there you are, you silly little truffle!" she giggled after tossing aside a few hats and desk lamps. "Ha ha! You're always hiding, aren't you? WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS HIDING FROM ME?"

Her voice changed suddenly from that of a rational, though rather dazed person, to that of a horrid banshee. She glared at her clipboard, as though expecting it to answer. "Well, if you have nothing to say for yourself, then I guess I'll just have to punish you. I'm using your brother this time."

She trudged over to a different pile of junk and trash and searched through it to find another board with pearls along the edges. "See? He's prettier than you are. So I'll use him instead. How do you like that?"

With a pencil in hand, she looked over the clipboard. "Okay, five today…two last year…four the year before…Huh. That's not going to last me long enough. I'll need more."

Dropping the board, she walked slowly, almost demonically over to a red bed with a canopy and the sheets perfectly arranged. Clutching a red stuffed bear, she stared at it for what must have been ten minutes before beginning to cry. "Oh, Duffy…" she whined. "I know this isn't good, but I need this. I can't…"

**:::::**

After another good night's sleep at Hattie and Robin's house, the party started off towards the ship to get back to Paratonis. They were mostly still tired, but they agreed they had to press on.

"All I'm saying is that somebody should just destroy that planet," Jazz insisted. "I mean, I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard."

"And I'm telling you, it wouldn't work," Hattie argued. "Reverie has the best security systems known to man. Any large spacecraft or missile or anything would be obliterated before it came within a hundred feet of the castle. Reverie thinks of _everything_."

"Well, that's unfortunate, isn't it?" Mario prompted, confused and stressed. "How can that tiny rocket get there if not even a huge spaceship can?"

"That's the thing-it's tiny," Hattie answered. "The security systems don't analyze the rocket as a threat because it's small and completely unarmed."

"Unarmed?" Mario cried frantically. "You mean we have nothing to use to attack Reverie with but ourselves?"

"Hey, don't get all worried, okay? It won't be that bad with all seven of us together," Hattie assured him. "Remember, I was doing fine by myself until Reverie jumped up behind me. Although…"

"Although what?" Mario asked.

"The castle won't be as easy, I'll give you that," Hattie replied, sounding almost daunted for the first time since Mario had known her. "Like I said, Reverie thinks of everything, and the castle is traps galore. So, uh…we should be careful."

"Okay, I appreciate you trying to warn us, but this brings me back to my other question: We have nothing to defend ourselves?" Mario repeated.

"Like I said, we'll be better off together," Hattie reminded him. "Hey, I think we're out of the forest."

It was true-the party had exited the forest minutes ago and hadn't even noticed. Mario looked around worriedly but calmed down when he saw that the ship was still close by. "Well, let's get in. You'll love the Mercury Suite, Hattie. It's perfect."

"Normally I wouldn't agree, but that boat is amazing," Hattie replied absent-mindedly. Mario was afraid she was going to start drooling.

**:::::**

Mario sat back in one of the reclining chairs in the grand room. He had ordered more room service before, and he wanted to make sure his partners were thoroughly pampered, because this would be the last time it could happen before they went off to face Reverie and whatever traps and minions he had. It was definitely time for relaxation. They had defeated yet another Dark Rainbow freak, finally convinced Hattie to join them, and they were quite at peace.

And strangely enough, his thoughts weren't jinxed by something crazy or frustrating. The party was actually safe for once.

The party used their two wisely: which is to say, Goomessa, Koopetto, Snow, and Wishes held a chess tournament, while Fluzz spent two hours at the buffet. Jazz spent the entire time in the library, and Mario got stuck wheeling Hattie around the entire ship, allowing her to take in the sights. It was tiring, but she _was_ a friend.

"Everything here is so cool!" she laughed. "I wish I'd known there was such an amazing world out here! I guess five years really does something to the world."

"You've never been on this ship before?" Mario asked.

"The S.S. Catharina didn't exist when I was eleven," Hattie answered. "And boy, do I regret it."

Mario chuckled at this revelation. "I have to thank you for joining us. And I'm also sorry for what happened earlier."

"Don't worry," she assured him. "Now that I've calmed down, I suppose going back to Star Castle won't be that bad, you know?"

Mario nodded. "At least we know what to do," he mused. "And now that we have all our preparations out of the way, this shouldn't be much different from normal."

"But we should still keep our guard up," Hattie put in. "Like I've told you, Reverie can trick you and generally just be evil. But he's also kind of unstable in that he's really…psychologically unnerving."

"Meaning?"

"He can do weird magic and stuff like that that _will_ drive you insane. And when you're well enough mad…_then_ he goes in for the kill," Hattie explained.

"That sounds an awful lot like Kat and Violon," Mario said to himself.

"Who are they?" Hattie asked.

"Nothing I really want to go into deep detail about," Mario replied simply.

**:::::**

"Excuse me, passengers," one of the Toads called over the intercom. "We have reached our destination at Paratonis. Please take all luggage with you when you leave, and thank you for sailing on the S.S. Catharina. Tomorrow we will begin a one-week world tour than take you to a new country each day. At the end of the week we will be back here to continue transportation from here to Ievan Heights. Have a nice day."

The party exited the ship and stretched. After four long days, it was finally time to face whatever terrors were in Star Castle. Mario smiled determinedly. Reverie was going down.

As the gang made their way to Blossom Grove, they talked about the upcoming challenge. "I think it shouldn't be too bad," Goomessa commented. "I mean, look at all we've done so far. We already have five Cloud Fragments, how can this one be so bad?"

"Yeah, well I'm still scared," Snow replied. "Think about what Reverie did to Ievan Heights in just a few minutes! I'm not so sure it'll be that easy…"

"I don't know, but I'm sure we'll beat him," Koopetto put in. "He might be hard, who knows? But it's not like we'll lose, right?"

Mario himself began to have mixed feelings about Reverie. He was sure the party could defeat him, but who could know what would happen before then? Could Reverie really be as strong as all that? Hattie was pretty adamant that he wasn't, but what if he'd gotten stronger since then?

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the plumber decided the only way to go was forward, and they'd have to face Reverie no matter what.

Eventually, the party reached the supposed end of Paratonis, which had already been rebuilt to look like just another group of trees. "Open the door!" Hattie called, and soon the same part of the trees as before fell to the ground.

"I don't like this subway," Snow complained.

Hattie rolled her eyes. "Sorry," she murmured, not sounding as much sorry as amused.

One quick, painful, annoying train ride later, the party was walking back into Blossom Grove, nursing whatever bruises and scratches they had received from the ride. They eventually made their way back to the mayor's house. Mario knocked on the door, and soon the Magikoopa Xavier opened it. "Ah, Mario, it's you," he greeted the plumber. "Nice to see you again. And you brought Hattie! How interesting. I wasn't sure you'd be back."

"Well, here we are," Mario answered. "Since we have Hattie with us-"

"Yes, yes, you may use the rocket," Xavier interrupted him. "Follow me."

He led them down the dirt path in a different direction. For a few minutes, the group just walked through town, and while citizens weren't happy to see the party, they didn't look too angry either, considering the mayor trusted them enough to lead them. At some point, Mario saw in the distance a very thin, tall, white pod with a small door at the very bottom. Xavier led the party directly towards the pod. "This is the Blossom Roger," he explained as they approached it. "We normally only allow use of the rocket on appointed days, but I suppose your cause is quite important enough for you to use it."

"Thanks, sir," Mario acknowledged him as he and his partners walked towards the rocket. Xavier motioned for the party to enter.

Inside the rocket was much smaller than it would have appeared. The entirety of the rocket consisted of ten small seats at the very bottom, arranged in a circle, and a mini-fridge at the top. "What a dingy little thing," Wishes remarked as they sat down.

"You know, I can hear you in there," Xavier's voice called from a speaker at the top of the rocket. "I can hear everything you say."

"…Sorry," Wishes mumbled.

After that nobody spoke from outside, and after a few minutes Mario was worried something was wrong. "Is everything okay?" he called.

"Definitely," Xavier replied. "Just one moment."

After another minute, the rocket began flaring. "In about ten seconds, you'll be blasting off," Xavier told them simply. It was only a matter of seconds before the rocket suddenly began ascending. As it scaled the sky, Xavier gave minor comments about the velocity and direction of the spacecraft. All Mario could think about was the challenge they'd be up against soon.

Reverie was going to be a sad little Yoshi hunter when the party was done with him.

**:::::**

**Okay, there we go, guys! Next time we're going to finally get to Star Castle, okay? Fun? Hoorah!**

**Okay, yeah. So I'll be back soon with part seven. KTHNXBAI**

**See ya!**


	64. Twilight: Part VII

**Hey, guys, it's me, Fred. Fredfredfred. Eet eez time for us…do geet going…to ze part sayvan…of ze chapiterr…**

**Veree bahd Italian accent…**

**Or something like that.**

**So yeah, let's go. I don't own Mario or anything, so no suing is allowed.**

**And, and by the way, at some point in the chapter, you'll be seeing a name that isn't there because it's supposed to be "erased" a lot. Please just bear with me, as Paint doesn't help with this kind of stuff.**

**You know something else? I didn't know deathly was a word.**

**Let's go.**

**:::::**

The Blossom Roger sailed through the sky for what seemed like centuries. Mario was on the verge of falling asleep, kept awake only by Xavier's constant encouragement. The Magikoopa continued to assure them that they would do fine in Star Castle, and it was getting quite annoying at this point. What was really unnerving was that with each time he said it, Xavier sounded a little less sure of what he was saying.

Luckily, the party still believed what he was saying. But even knowing they would defeat Reverie, they found it quite agonizing having to sit in the cramped seats for so long. Eventually Mario decided to ask just how long they'd been in the rocket.

"Oh, not long, just…an hour and a half," Xavier replied. "I _did_ mention that Star Castle isn't exactly in this solar system, right?"

"Yeah, you kind of forgot that tiny detail," Mario muttered. "How long would you say it'll take?"

"Oh, not long…which, by the way, I should tell you something else important," Xavier continued. "Once you exit a certain frame of communication, I won't be able to speak to you anymore."

"Yes!" Snow cried.

"Which means you'll be all on your own," Xavier finished irritably, and Mario was pretty sure he was glaring deathly at Snow, even if she couldn't see.

"Well, we'll just do our best, but thank you for your cooperation so far," Mario acknowledged him, in an attempt to cover up Snow's comment.

"No problem, Mario," Xavier answered. "I'd love it if you could get rid of Reverie for good. He's evil and rotten, and if he was gone, the whole world would be a much better place to live."

"Well, there's no doubt we won't get him," Goomessa assured him enthusiastically.

"…Yeah, of course."

**:::::**

The rocket finally began to slow down. The party, which was mostly asleep, awoke from their naps. Xavier had ceased to talk to them long ago, so it was possible to get some sleep in the rocket, even if it was uncomfortable.

"We're finally here!" Goomessa laughed.

"Yeah. Here we are," Hattie agreed quietly, sounding positively horrified.

"Well, no turning back now, right?" Jazz commented.

"I still say we be careful," Snow answered cautiously.

"What are you guys so sad about? It's like Los Vegas in space!" Koopetto cried. After a long bout of complaining about how small the rocket was, he had been the first out of the rocket, and he was now staring at Star Castle in awe. As the rest of the party filed out, they discovered just what he was talking about.

Star Castle was gargantuan to say the least. Lights flashed everywhere, coming from billboards and marquees. They all pointed towards the castle, and they all advertised it in flashy, distinctive ways. Mario was quite overwhelmed, and a bit confused as to why Reverie might have set all this up when he was the only one who lived here.

"It's fascinating," Wishes remarked, voicing Mario's thoughts.

"Don't get over-excited," Hattie warned them in her best Willy Wonka voice. "Reverie puts these things here to distract you. We've got to keep moving."

"But it's so pretty…" Goomessa replied dreamily.

"_Keep moving!"_ Hattie shouted, snapping the others back into reality.

So the party walked inside the castle. Mario shuddered as they passed under the dark veil that was the entrance, feeling as though they were being swallowed up by something.

The first thing Mario noticed about the castle was its elegance. Fancy torches on fancy red stands illuminated the hall, which was lined with a beautiful red carpet. Now that he thought about it, Mario realized everything the party could see was red. Red bricks made up the walls, and the glass of the small windows was tinted red. Maybe Reverie had a theme going on.

The party was fiercely bombarded by a band of Swoopers and Swampires. These were easy enemies to defeat, but Mario was confused as to why they would be here. All the while, the hall refused to end. It did seem to get taller though, so that eventually it was impossible to see the ceiling.

Finally, the gang reached what seemed to be a ledge. At the bottom, there were five torches, made of metal and different from the ones on the walls, but still red. At the top, there was a row of five crudely drawn pictures of the moon. Even though they were clearly paintings, the moons shone down on the party.

"Reverie is very 'one with puzzles'," Hattie explained. "Only one way to change the moon into the sun…"

"Give it more light?" Koopetto guessed. Hattie nodded.

"Not exactly scientifically correct, but I guess it works," Mario decided. "But we don't have a source of light with us."

"I have my fire, but that would burn the pictures," Snow sighed.

"I'm not useless, you know," Hattie said with a hint of a smirk. "You'd be surprised at what you can do with just your head."

At this, Hattie bent her head down next to her arm. Mario thought it would hurt quite a bit before he remembered that Hattie was completely numb in her back. The Yoshi bit down on her thumb and jerked her head back upwards. For the first time, Mario noticed she had a watch on. She could use this to reflect the light, he realized.

"But how do we know what order we have to light the moons up?" Fluzz asked.

"Watch," Hattie answered. As she spoke, the torches began to light themselves. First the one on the left, then the one on the right, the one directly next to the left, the one next to the far right, and finally the one in the middle.

"Well, that answers that, I guess," Fluzz mumbled confusedly.

Hattie and Snow used their watches to shine the light from the moons back on them in the same order in which the torches had lit. Mario was surprised that Hattie would remember how to work this, but he was even more surprised when they had finished. The ledge the pictures sat on began to move. The very top of it moved down several feet until it was possible to hop onto it. The part of the ledge behind that moved down as well until one could jump up to get to the second part. The ledge continued to move this way until it resembled a staircase. Mario couldn't see what was atop the stairs, but he was sure the only way to get to Reverie would be at the top.

"Because everyone knows terror-forming land makes everything better," Snow remarked. Mario chuckled before leading his partners up the stairs. Unfortunately, these stairs were loaded with cheap traps and gimmicks, such as parts of the floor that were just holograms, trap doors, and even a falling weight. Hattie was sure to warn the rest of the party about everything, which, though annoying, was definitely helpful.

But the worst part of the staircase was yet to come. As Mario hopped up the last piece of the ledge, what he saw was quite terrifying. A large mural had been very carefully painted on the opposite wall. This mural had a mime as the star object, a mime that was in the middle of a large mob. This mob was apparently threatening the mime, both with words and weapons. Mario never figured out what the mime had done wrong, but his attention was drawn completely from that by the faces of the people themselves. Every single person except the mime had the left side of their face…just gone. Where there should have been skin, there was absolutely nothing. Even the skull was missing until it reached the part of their heads where their hair began. Below the hair were only red veins and nerves.

"HOLY-" most of Mario's partners began before catching themselves.

"Don't look at it," Hattie instructed them. "Now we've got to wait."

"Wait for what?" Goomessa asked. She immediately got her answer. An incredibly tall, slender figure dropped from the sky. It wore a long black tuxedo with a cape, large hood, and long sleeves. As it turned to face the party, Mario was stunned to discover that it had no face and no arms; it _was_ a long black tuxedo with a cape, hood, and sleeves. It held two long, deep red roses, one where each hand should have been.

"Aw, jeez," Goomessa muttered, looking through her tattle book. "Okay…I found something that looks like this, and it's called Kestrel. Nice. Anyway, Kestrel is a ghost-er, demon, anyway, that went to Star Castle to get rid of Reverie, and got tricked into signing a deal with him. Reverie tortured and then stole his body, but his soul remains to warn anybody who should come here…by killing them. Great. Max Hp is 40, attack is 4, and defense is 1. Apparently he attacks with those roses. I'm not sure how that works, but I guess we'll figure it out. I'd just like to know how he keeps those flowers without them wilting…"

Mario ran at Kestrel and whacked the ghost with his hammer. Kestrel looked (figuratively speaking) not just pained, but actually offended. The demon dove at the party with his roses thrust in front of him. Mario crossed his arms, confused as to how Kestrel expected to harm them with flowers. Too late, he realized blades protruded from the insides of the roses. The plumber tried to dodge, but he was caught in the shoulders. After staring dumbly and in pain at Kestrel, Mario struck him again with his hammer. At this point, his partners were ready to help, and Kestrel looked quite angry. The ghost continued to attack fiercely, and though the party largely outnumbered him, his attacks were strong enough to force them to take a rest almost every time.

Mario sighed and pulled out Caslio's hat. For some reason Mario would never understand, Kestrel actually stood back to allow the hat to do its job. As the silver wind swirled around the party, Mario smiled as energy returned to him. Kestrel entered back into the imaginary-but-quite-established battle zone.

And it became quite a simple task to defeat the demon. The party attacked him with everything they had, and it wasn't very long before Kestrel's hood dropped so that it was staring at the floor. The roses dropped to the floor, and the ghost's outfit fell to the floor ceremoniously. Mario sighed again, this time in sympathy.

But his attention was not focused on Kestrel for long, for after a few moments a blue ring began to form in the center of the room. This ring rose from the floor, seeming to create an odd structure as it did. It wasn't until the ring was finished and disappeared that Mario realized it was a chest.

Curiously, the party walked towards the chest and all struggled to open it. Mario looked around inside until he found something at the very bottom amongst some dust (how there was dust when the box had just appeared Mario could never figure out). It was a hammer.

The hammer was made of solid gold with a silver handle and a bronze stripe across the middle of the head. It was very light, and very sturdy. As he held his brand-spanking-new Ultra Hammer in his hands, Mario felt almost invincible.

"I just _know_ we're going to get Reverie now," the plumber commented. His partners agreed.

After some searching, Mario found an invisible barrier in front of the mural. Wishes looked into it and discovered a large block made of granite-perfect for Mario to try out his new hammer. Fluzz gladly sucked away the barrier to reveal the very large block. Mario clutched his hammer as tightly as he could and smashed it down on the block with all the strength he had. It cracked for a moment before breaking into millions of tiny pieces. A switch lay on the floor that had not been visible before. Mario jumped on this switch and was startled at what happened. The mural fell away completely, revealing a large door.

"Finally that thing is gone," Goomessa said, shuddering.

"Nowhere to go but forward?" Jazz said uncertainly.

"Nowhere but," Mario confirmed, pushing the door open.

The hall was just like the last one, long, tall, and red. The party walked calmly through it, though they still encountered the occasional Swooper.

Eventually, the group came to a dead end that seemed to be walled of by a large block. There was a large picture on it that resembled the traditional cartoon smacking-something-hard sign. There was also a small gap at the very top, but nothing else that the party could get through. "Okay, this is odd," Mario decided. "Wishes, can you fly through that hole and see what it is we have to do?"

"I can certainly try," Wishes answered before floating through the gap. For a few moments the rest of the party waited for an answer.

"Uh…I think there's some sort of a procession of long blocks with pictures on them here," the Star called. "They're all mixed up and in the wrong positions, but I think they were supposed to fit together to look like Count Dracula or something."

"Oh…" Mario said, realizing what he had to do. He walked up to the first block and brought his hammer down on the cartoon sign as hard as he could. The block shifted at least twenty feet forward, opening the dead end up. Wishes stayed in the air to tell the rest of the gang when they were finished and the party moved on. At the end of the newly created hall another cartoon sign resided on the side of the block to the left. Mario crashed his hammer down on this one too, and it moved around six yards as well. Mario smashed three other blocks this way, until Wishes told them from above that the blocks indeed resembled Count Dracula. Mario looked to his right, the only place the party could go now, and discovered that they had in fact revealed another, even larger door.

"Oh…I'm getting bad vibes at this point," Fluzz commented.

"We don't have a choice," Mario reminded him. "We have to go in that door."

"I'm kind of agreeing with Fluzz, this place is officially creeping me out," Snow argued.

"Come on, guys, it's not _that_ scary," Goomessa insisted. The rest of the party reluctantly agreed and they all pushed through the door together.

The light in the next room was blinding after the perpetual dim of the last two rooms. It was as though whoever had lit the castle had made sure to save it all for this particular room.

"And this is why I didn't want to go into the door!" Snow cried, rubbing her eyes. "Everything is sad and unexpected!"

"Well, that's what Reverie does," Hattie reminded her. Apparently she had already recovered. "Everything is unexpected with him. We've got to be prepared. Although, suffice to say, I don't remember any room like this…"

The room the party was standing in was rather overwhelming. It was very large and red in every way (which, of course, wasn't unlike the rest of the castle, but this time it was along the lines of "bright red, with some more sedate red and red on the side"). The floor was almost neon red, the walls were light pink, the walls were flashy hot pink and the bed was bright red too. Apparently somebody slept here.

But the large red book on the red oak desk was what mostly caught Mario's attention. "I wonder what this is," he murmured to himself, walking over towards the desk. The book was bound in red leather and read, in fancy ink, "My Own Journal".

"Well, this is awkward," Mario remarked. "I just found someone's diary. And it's huge."

"Really?" Snow squealed. "Omigosh a diary?"

"Burn it," Jazz said gravely. "Jay kept a diary just like that…"

"I say we wait for a trap," Koopetto suggested.

"I'll never get over how different we all are," Goomessa muttered. "I say read it. What's the harm?"

"I think Koopetto just said what the harm could be. A trap," Wishes told her.

"Don't do it, Mario, it's just wrong," Fluzz warned him.

"I have no comment," Hattie decided.

Mario stared at the book for at least a minute before sighing. "I'm going to regret this…" He opened to the first page and began to read:

"_August 20, 1788_

"_Dear Diary,_

"_Hello. This is the first time I have ever had a journal, so I haven't the faintest idea about what I may write. I apologize sincerely._

"_I pen my thoughts into this document in the desperate hopes that somebody might discover it and be enlightened as to what we were and how we thought before. This idea gives me hope._

"_On the other hand, I do not exactly know that what I write will be of any use. I simply must hope that it will._

"_But I ramble. Allow me to think…today I had a bit of a nap. The weather was positively beautiful when I retired, but not as beautiful when I awakened. I do apologize, but I believe I must close at this point, for I am at the loss for the words._

"_August 25, 1788_

"_I was introduced to a man named Georges today. He seems incredibly kind._

"_I do worry that, in a few years, my work will be crude and outdated, unfit for future citizens to read over. But if it does, I shall keep it for my own-no, I will burn it! Then nobody can know that I have written it."_

"See? She agrees with me," Jazz commented bitterly.

Meanwhile, Mario decided he didn't want to read every single journal entry this person had written, so he flipped a large section of pages and stopped on an entry dated December 19, 1922. _Wait…1922?_ he cried inside his head. _How can this person still be alive…?_ He continued to read regardless of his confusion.

"_Andrea doesn't feel that great, I guess. She hasn't left the toilet's side since seven o'clock this morning. I asked her if she needed to see a doctor but she said no I'm fine and I said no it's okay I can pay and she said no really I'm okay and I said seriously Annie I'm worried for you and she said she wouldn't let me take her. That made me mad for some reason._

"_I sigh. But I guess if Annie doesn't want to go I won't make her. Bye!"_

Mario noticed that now the writing was a bit less formal, the language less ye-Olde-English sounding. flipped some more until he reached a short entry dated June 23, 1949.

"_I don't understand anything. I'm having problems, and weird things are happening. In the beginning of that five-mile run for the charity in France, I took a few seconds to adjust my belt with my water bottle strapped to it and when I looked up I was in Hong Kong, China. Yesterday I helped a friend to lift a big box with books in it and I crunched the box in half. I don't understand what's going on with me. Am I having spastic nerve reactions? What's going on?_

"_June 25, 1949_

"_I met a wonderful guy named . is funny and sweet…"_

Mario was confused to find the name "Jerry" was erased both times. Checking the rest of the diary, he found that it was erased every subsequent time it was mentioned, especially after the beginning of November:

"_Nov 10, 1949_

"_Dear Diary,_

"_How are you doing? Me, I'm just fine. I just got off work. I've got to make dinner soon, but I'll talk with you a bit. got me a diamond necklace yesterday. It's so pretty! I wear it all the time._

"_I think the book I'm reading is so great (not as great as you, of course). It's called __Voice of the Dreamer__._

"_Whoops, got to go. See you soon!_

"_Nov 30, 1949_

"_Hey!_

"_Sorry I haven't seen you in almost three weeks. But I've been busy._

"_You know the diamond necklace got me? Some of my friends told me they like it. I'm glad, because I like it too._

"_I almost forgot! I'm going to this contest in a week. It's like a cooking camp. It lasts for four days, and you have to prepare really exotic foods. set it up. He's just great, isn't he?_

"_Dec 7, 1949_

"_Today's the day I leave for the cooking camp. It's going to be on television, the director says. I'm so excited! I leave in an hour. I'll tell you all about when I get back. is so happy for me too. See you!_

"_Feb 12, 1950_

"_Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. The show went great! I was the top student, and I got some money for it! They said I was like lightning. It even started to weird some of them out…_

"_Remember the necklace? I love it! Even my boss said it was beautiful. is just the greatest!_

Mario began to notice that the writing was still becoming less perfect with each entry. At this point it was actually rather crooked.

"_May 20, 1950_

"_I'm tired but I thought Id said hi you know? I don't know why but I've been really really sleepy lately. I thought I was sick but its been going on for a long time now. is worried._

"_Jan 5, 1951_

"_Today something bad happened. and I got into a huge fight and he stormed out of the house. I don't know what happened, but I just know was really red in the face. I dont remember how the fight started but I know and I are still friends._

"_Oct 19, 1951_

" _and I have been getting along well together again. Im glad. But Im still groggy and sleepy all the time. I dont know what to think._

"_Sep 4, 1952_

" _said he never wanted to see me again. I dont kno why it was so out of the blu. I looked down at my necklace and cried. I dont want it anymore_

"_Nov 20, 1952_

"_I selled the neclace yesterday. I felt so said I mean I felt so sad. I think I went to bed after that_

"_Oct 31, 1952_

"_HALLOWEEN_

"_DEC 6_

"_I THINK I'M GOING INSANE"_

_They got that right,_ Mario thought. He turned the page again, expecting the worst, but was surprised to fine that it picked up thirty-three years later, and sounded oddly normal.

"_January 17, 1985_

"_Dear Diary,_

"_Today was fun. I had a very productive year. I got ten of them. Ten! I find the red ones are the best. They're salty but kind of sweet with a peppery-"_

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Mario turned at the male voice in horror. In his peripheral vision he saw his partners do the same. Standing there, halfway across the room, was Reverie. Mario's heart seized up. How long had be been standing there? However long it had been, he must have known they were reading the journal (Mario never knew why afterwards, but he felt that Reverie would not want them reading it). The hunter stepped forward.

"Who do you think you are?" he called in a low, threatening voice. "Barging into my palace, strolling into my bedroom, reading my personal journal-"

"_Your_ journal?" Mario echoed breathlessly. "But you sounded like a girl…What's going-"

"SILENCE, BOY!" Reverie bellowed. "I am not who you think I am!"

"What do you mean-"

"DID I NOT JUST SAY SILENCE!" Reverie boomed. "I am not the Reverie you believe me to be!"

"Then who are you?" Mario asked wearily.

Reverie leaped into the air and did a quick and dizzying five flips there, all the while spontaneously changing in color. When she landed, Mario discovered he had actually changed most of his clothes. When he was finished, he was wearing…a dress.

A fancy red sparkled dress. And fancy red shoes and gloves.

Afterwards, he put his hands to his head and took off his helmet to let his long red hair flow. This wasn't auburn hair either-it was pure blood red.

Mario was shocked enough as it was, but then Reverie spoke. It was a young girl's voice. Although Reverie was turned so that he-or she, or it-was talking to the wall, Mario felt the words as though they were chunks of ice.

"Yes, it's me, Reverie, the Yoshi hunter. Yes, I'm a girl. Speechless, aren't you?"

Mario couldn't speak.

"I guess dress has never exactly been her strongest suit..." Snow remarked.

But it wasn't until she faced the party that Mario couldn't take any of this anymore. He stared, wide-eyed, at Reverie. His partners did the same.

The left half of Reverie's face was completely gone.

It was exactly like the murals; the entire left side of her face (excluding her nose and mouth) was all red and skinless. Even her left eye was missing-only her eye_hole_ was visible. Hair still flowed out of her head, but it was otherwise gone. Mario had to make a good effort not to faint.

Now as if this wasn't quite bad enough, Reverie had to add irony to the gruesome equation. "Aren't I beautiful?" she cried, stepping forward again. Mario blinked.

"I mean, I say the while bounty hunter get-up gives off a bad vibe, but this-" She indicated her clothes and deformed face-"this is just great! I feel so pretty!"

She stared expectantly at the party. Mario finally spoke. "Um, yes, of course. You look great."

"LIAR!" Reverie shrieked. "DON'T SUCK UP TO ME, BOY!"

"Well…" Mario began.

"Your face could, uh…" Goomessa attempted to continue.

"Use some work," Snow finished.

"IDIOTS!" Reverie squealed. "WHEN A GIRL ASKS HOW SHE LOOKS, YOU _ALWAYS_ TELL HER SHE LOOKS GREAT."

"Then what are we supposed to say you worthless brat!" Wishes shouted.

"HOW COULD YOU?" Reverie demanded. "I AM NOT A WORTHLESS BRAT! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!"

She then opened her mouth in a devious grin, showing off two lines of pearly teeth.

Sharp_ pearly teeth,_ Mario thought. _…_Red_ sharp pearly teeth. Oh no._

Reverie then let out a horrifying cackle that would haunt Mario for as long as he lived.

"So the thing about the red ones tasting the best…" Mario trailed off.

"Yoshi blood is numiniferous!" Reverie laughed, throwing her arms in the air. "Now…I see you brought Hattie with you. Just perfect."

Hattie glared at her.

"Not gonna happen, wacko!" Jazz argued.

"I'm a wacko, eh?" Reverie repeated. "That's funny. I'm funny!"

"Yes, well, looks aren't everything," Goomessa added without missing a beat.

Reverie stared at her with a look of pure hatred and animosity. "So insolent. All of you!" she sobbed. "Miserably insolent! For this you have to die! And take your idiocy with you! You'll pay very dearly, I promise!"

"Well, I've got a few hundred coins and the last night on the Mercury Suite for the week on me. Will that work?" Mario joked.

"No, no, no," Reverie replied in a low voice. "See, I'm glad I cleaned up in here, because you're going to get comfortable while I drink every last bit of blood out of every one of you. Will that work?"

**:::::**

**FINALLY. I'm done. I hope this chapter wasn't too long. But I think it was.**

**Anyway, I hope also that I didn't rush the dungeon. I really counted on the diary to save me there (which it did). So I hope you liked. Tell me what you thought, all that stuff.**

**See ya!**


	65. Twilight: Part VIII

**Hey, guys. Here I am. There you are. The author refrains from quoting Big Time Rush at this point. Yep. Anyway, here we are at part eight. IT'S EIGHT…or something. By the way, for some reason, I can't stop listening to "My Strongest Suit" from Aida. Anmeris is an awesome character in every way. Anyway, I don't have much to say tonight, besides of course I don't own Mario. And the moon is in the bathtub. Yes, indeed, I do have malaria (so just kidding).**

**Now, one more thing. Odd things may happen that'll sound like the writer was on craploads of cough syrup when he wrote them…and that's because he was, so please bear with me again, okay? Yes? Thank you.**

**So…since I don't have anything else that needs saying…I guess we'll get going, 'kay?**

**:::::**

"Okeydokey, then! Sit down and be quiet, children! Please kindly welcome Reverie, the Queen of the Forest. This will all work out swell when you do!" Reverie giggled, stepping towards the party slowly but purposefully.

"No way, killer," Goomessa argued. "You're a crazy person."

Reverie dashed to the other side of the room in a flash and turned to face the party again. "Crazy? Not just crazy-esque? Crazy-ish?"

Mario gripped his hammer as tightly as possible. "You're going down, Reverie," he informed her.

"Oh, _am_ I?" Reverie asked, her eyebrows raised.

Mario nodded seriously.

"Well, uh, what do I say to that?" Reverie asked to no one in particular. "Well, you know…Hey. What happened to 'get comfortable'? I am the master, and I'd appreciate it if you obeyed me, okay? So sit down and be quiet! Obey the queen!"

"Never," Mario replied calmly, rushing up to Reverie and giving her a hard whack to the shoulder. He hadn't expected this to harm her too much, but for whatever reason, Reverie screeched and clutched her shoulder.

"Why would you _do_ that?" she cried. "Faint…oh…"

"What's going on?" Mario demanded.

"Think about it," Hattie ordered. "She has tons more blood in her than regular people, so it's going to hit her a lot harder."

Mario grinned. "Okay…guys, get her! Goomessa, tattle! Uh…Hattie, you stay there…"

His partners all nodded. Goomessa took out her tattle log and the others followed Mario into battle. "Let's see…" Goomessa murmured. "Okay, Reverie. The book says he…but I guess I can say her. Okay, this hunter hunts for Yoshis mercilessly and without question. She can steal our Hp and give it back to her, and she has quite superhuman strength. Max Hp is 55, attack is 6, and defense is 0. She bruises easily, so go at her with everything you can."

"No, don't…don't, guys, I don't-GO AWAY!" Reverie shrieked, jumping backwards a few times opening her mouth to show off her teeth again. Then she did something Mario wasn't expecting at all: she hissed. The hissing disturbed Mario, but he shrugged it off and kept approaching her. "Stop it, guys! I don't want another attack!"

When it became pretty clear the party wasn't going to stop running towards her, Reverie raised a hand and swiped at Mario. What Mario had thought would be small damage knocked her all the way across the room. His partners stared after him, then back at Reverie.

"I don't…I don't like you, Mario," Reverie groaned. "You're a meanie, and a doll-ish meanie, too. AND DOLLS SCARE THE PUKE OUT OF ME, MARIO."

"Trying to follow what you say is like trying to convince my Aunt Janine that Narnia doesn't exist," Koopetto muttered.

Reverie stared at her and began to laugh uproariously. "Okay, it wasn't that funny," Koopetto told her.

"But you can't spell slaughter without laughter," Reverie answered. "And I'm going to slaughter you."

"Did you _have_ to say slaughter?" Goomessa demanded.

"You know what the problem with reality is?" Reverie asked, suddenly changing the subject. "No background music…"

"Okay, I've had just about enough of this," Mario said, rushing towards Reverie and preparing to strike again.

"Oh, okay, then. The fight begins," Reverie announced tiredly. "Do what you will. I'd simply _love_ to see how strong you really are."

She walked very quickly across the room and balled her hands into fists, holding them at shoulder length and waiting for the party to make their way to her.

The party dashed towards the boss and tried to catch her, but she was very fast, and they couldn't keep up. Meanwhile, the vampire herself got many hits in before she ran away, and before long the party was weary and wounded.

"Is that all you've got?" Reverie asked disappointedly after a while. "I was hoping for a challenge, and you guys…just aren't worth the effort."

"You think so?" Mario demanded. "Let's see what you think about this."

He began to take out the Cloud Fragment he'd received from Kat before realizing something different. The party had never quite been told what the fifth Cloud Fragment did. Phineas had never gotten around to telling them. So in a leap of faith, he replaced the bowl in his pocket and took out the blue jewel, holding it up in the air. It shone with a bright red flare that bounced and jumped erratically, almost nervously, before zipping through the air at Reverie. Mario and Reverie both cried out in fear as a pair of red chains sprouted from each sides of the Fragment and bound Mario's hands to Reverie's head.

"What's going on?" Mario demanded, taking a step back. Reverie did the same. Mario raised his hands in front of his face as the chains disappeared, the Cloud Fragment remaining in the air. Reverie raised her hands as well. Mario stared at her. "Why are you-oh…"

A grin spread across the plumber's face. He put a hand up next to his head and brought it swiftly through the air in front of his face. Reverie did as he did, but slapped herself instead. Mario chuckled and pretended to punch himself in the stomach. Reverie winced as she punched herself.

"Enjoying the show, guys?" Mario asked. Reverie glared at him but seemed unable to say anything-_a genuine first,_ Mario thought.

Eventually the Cloud Fragment faded back into blue and the chains retracted into it. Reverie looked straight at Mario with a fire in her eyes.

"YOU MONSTER!" she shrieked. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? I don't like you, Mario!"

"Oh yeah, you're the vampire nutjob and _we're_ the monsters," Goomessa replied.

"Oh, what's that? You want to do a side-by-side view of a day in my life compared to a day in you guys' to show how crazy I am?" Reverie asked mockingly, putting her hand to her ear. "No thanks, I know my visit to the funny farm is long overdue."

"Well, that's better than we could say for Kat and Violon…" Mario muttered as the party dashed towards Reverie to continue attacking. Hattie gazed after them as Reverie attempted to avoid them. It was clear that the party was winning, but Hattie knew the boss had more tricks up her sleeve.

Eventually, Reverie seemed thoroughly annoyed. The vampire sighed and raised her hands. The walls suddenly began to change. The north wall turned a bright orange with pink polka dots streaming downwards. The south wall began to burn fiercely with almost blue flames. The west wall displayed what appeared to be a Christmas tree with many broken or severed ornaments on it, and the east simply fell, revealing the cold, black space outside. Mario was confused as to why Reverie would do this until the burning wall began to catch the rest of the room quickly, and the outer space outside began to vacuum things away. Reverie herself seemed unaffected. "Distraction!" she laughed.

"What's all this for?" Mario demanded, looking around at the spreading fire.

"I just said. Distraction!" Reverie repeated. "Let's see how you do now."

"We'll do just fine, thanks," Mario answered as the party ran towards her.

Hattie was quite angry at this point. _Why should _they_ have all the fun_, she wondered. _Why should _they_ be the authority here while I watch from the sidelines? I came here to confront my fear, and now…I'm doing nothing._

She closed her eyes in thought. It was so hard to believe it had been five years ago-

**:::::**

_Hattie stepped lightly into the room, looking around. The place was a mess. Piles of meaningless junk were everywhere. "Hmm…I wonder where Reverie is," Hattie murmured to herself._

"_Who in the-how are-who are you?" a female voice demanded from the other side of the room. "I thought nobody could get in here. I, uh…who are you?"_

_Hattie looked up to see the most hideous thing she'd ever seen in her life. It would have been a normal person, but the left half of her face was missing. "What the-what are you?" she cried._

"_I'm Reverie," the girl answered. "Were you looking for me? No wait, don't answer. I know you were looking for me because you called my name. It was my name, right? WHY WOULD YOU CALL MY NAME? DO YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF DEATH WISH, CHILD?"_

_Hattie gulped. "I'm Hattie LaFarr, and I've come to make you stop taking us Yoshis away. It's cruel."_

"_Ah…And I am to assume you are some kind of peacemaker? You wish to make some sort of compromise between me and your friends?" Reverie asked._

"_Uh, not exactly," Hattie replied. "I'm going to get rid of you."_

"_You're what?" Reverie demanded threateningly. "You think you can kill me just like that? Do you know what I am, you fool?"_

_"What are you, then?" Hattie asked._

"_I'm a vampire, you idiot," Reverie explained, as though this news wasn't exciting at all._

"_V-vampire? What are you talking about?" Hattie shouted. "You think I'd believe that?"_

_Reverie opened her mouth in a sharp, toothy grin. Hattie's knees gave._

"_Oh my…you're not lying…" she mumbled. "But you, uh, won't win, Reverie, not matter how strong you are."_

_"Try me."_

_Reverie rushed at Hattie and threw four punches at her in a row. Hattie fell to the ground and clutched her sides. "What do you think of that," Reverie asked without any emotion._

_Hattie struggled to stand up and glared at her. "I'll give it to you, you're strong," she answered, taking a knife from her shirt pocket. "But that doesn't count because I'm going to win, see?"_

_She then promptly swung at Reverie, who screeched at the attack. "You evil-you monstrous-YOU CREEP! THAT HURTS, YOU KNOW! I don't take hits well, Hattie!"_

"_You don't, do you?" Hattie asked, s__miling. "Well, then you're an unlucky girl."_

_She then continued to slice at Reverie as quickly as she could. Reverie made a few attempts to resist, and got a few more attacks in herself, but being struck was clearly weakening her. Hattie was going to win by a long shot._

"_You're evil," Reverie groaned, falling onto the tile. "I shouldn't be able to lose, I'm undead…I guess it's the only way…"_

_"What are you blabbering about?" Hattie demanded._

"_Goodbye, Hattie," Reverie said, grinning evilly. She then leaped into the air and landed behind Hattie, who tried to turn and see what she was doing. But it was much too late. Reverie clenched her teeth into Hattie's back with an impossible force. Hattie shrieked for a good ten seconds before Reverie loosened her grip. Hattie stood swaying for a moment before sinking to the floor._

_Reverie stood over her victim with a wild glare in her eyes. Lifting Hattie up like a feather, she hauled the Yoshi to a window and tossed her out. "I'm so sorry, Hattie, but that kind of behavior does not fly in my house. It's nothing personal…I just hate you."_

**:::::**

"Not again," Hattie whispered to herself. "I'm not letting Reverie hang this over me."

With all the strength she had, she forced herself out of the chair, falling easily to the floor. Looking up, she took a deep breath and tried to send more strength to her arms. She couldn't be quite sure where her arms were, of course, but she had to at least push herself up. Shutting her eyes as tight as she could, she jerked her head upwards, catching herself before her face landed back on the tile.

_I just…I just caught my-I just moved my arms!_

She forced her legs forward so that she was on her hands and knees. And in one final motion, she put her feet out and straightened herself. _Oh jeez, I forgot what putting my weight on my feet is like. This feels awkward…_

Letting out the deep breath, she walked towards the fight. "You're dead to me, Reverie," she whispered. "You're dead to me!"

Hattie ran at Reverie, who was focusing on the party, and dug her fingernails into her back. Reverie squealed and fell. "WHO WAS THAT WHO WAS THAT WHO WAS THAT?" she screamed.

The party all turned to see what had happened. "Hattie, you're not-what happened?" Mario cried.

"Reverie happened, now let's get rid of her!" Hattie shouted.

"Oh no…" Reverie moaned. "Don't, guys, I give-I surrender-stop-STOP IT GUYS!"

The party ran at her with everything they had. Hattie exhibited a fine display of martial arts. Mario was quite impressed, and Reverie already seemed to be losing power. Eventually she fell to her knees with a pleading look on her face. It was clear she was ready to give up the ghost. "Why are you guys so mean? I don't-ugh!-like you…"

"Look who's talking…" Goomessa muttered. "Now would you die already? That fire is _kind of_ looking dangerous, and I know I don't want to burn. You on the other hand…don't matter."

"Don't say that! Stop being so mean! I'm-aie!" Hattie interrupted Reverie with another kick to the back.

"That's for what _you_ did, Reverie," Hattie murmured. "How does it feel?"

"I…I can't do this much longer…" Reverie sighed, falling back to the ground again. "Okay, I get it…You guys…heh…you win…But I…think you should remember…eh…"

Standing up with effort, Reverie stared at Mario accusingly. After a moment, she tilted her head to the ceiling and opened her mouth. And out of her mouth came a sound so horrid, so piercing, so awful that it could not be called a scream. It was some kind of a mix between a plane crashing, a furnace exploding, and a bomb falling from the sky. After that she slumped to the floor.

She let out a long breath and was silent. "Is that it? I guess I thought a vampire shouldn't give up that easily," Mario remarked.

"You think?" Hattie asked. "Hey, look…"

Mario looked back at Reverie, who seemed to be dissipating. Her body was becoming clearer by the second. But Mario noticed that her red dress wasn't disappearing-it was undergoing a much different transformation. It was shrinking-odd enough, of course, but unlike the rest of Reverie, it was as opaque as usual. "What the heck is going on?" Mario demanded to no one in particular.

When Reverie had fully disappeared, the room began to change to the familiar white crystals with the cage in the middle. "What just happened?" Mario wondered again, whispering this time.

Deciding it was the only possibility, Mario walked over and picked up the now-tiny dress. He looked at his partners, who seemed as confused as he was. So he walked over to the cage and placed the dress in the indent. The cage disappeared normally, revealing a figure curled up in a ball. Mario quickly recognized it as the guardian Yoshi in the loud clothes.

She blinked open her eyes and stood up slowly, looking around the room and stopping on the party with wide eyes. "Mario, it's you! You're…oh man, I didn't know you'd be here. So, uh, hi," she giggled.

"Hello," Mario greeted her. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh yeah, you too," the Yoshi laughed. "My name is Callie Sorrisi. I guess Reverie is gone, huh? That's a relief. I was worried she was gonna get me too, you know? But at least she won't be around to torture people anymore, right?"

"Right," Mario agreed. "We got the sixth Cloud Fragment from her."

"Oh yeah, that's awesome!" Callie cheered. "You should be able to use the move Rainbow Recover with it. It's a more powerful version of Heal Ray, but it'll cost more star power."

"Cool," Mario commented. "What about the fifth Fragment? It looks like a raindrop? Phineas never told us what it does."

"Oh, that? I think it's called Impulse. It allows you to take control of an enemy."

"That's the one," Mario confirmed. "Now we just need to get out of here. And preferably fast, because that fire is getting pretty bad at this point."

"I didn't even notice it," Callie muttered, shrugging. "But yeah, I can you out of here."

The party all gathered around her. She made the familiarly odd hand gesture and the gang vanished. One last Cloud Fragment; this adventure was going out with a bang for sure.

**:::::**

**There we go, guys! Again, I'm sorry if some things were confusing, but like I said, I came up with it a long time ago, when I was pretty messed up on cough syrup. So yeah. Sorry 'bout that.**

**But now we have Reverie out of the way, I hope you liked it! I'll be back soon!**

**See ya!**


	66. Twilight: Part IX

**Hi people! This is part NINE of cheeapter SIX of mah story. Which means there's just one more part after this until cheeapter seven. Which is an awesome chapter, trust me. It really is…but **_**I guess**_** we need to get through chapter six first. But trust me, that won't take long. Hey, what do we do about it? I think chapter six was okay anyway.**

**But we're (or, I'm) straying from the point. I better get going. I don't own Mario or anything like that, you know all that stuff. So let's start.**

**:::::**

The gang slowly reappeared into the air, but not where Mario had quite expected. They were in Blossom Grove. "I decided it wouldn't hurt to come here instead," Callie whispered. Mario shrugged.

"Oh, guys! You're here!" Xavier called, rushing up to them. "I'm so happy to see you! I was starting to get worried."

In fact, many people stood there at the base of the landing platform-the entire population of the burg at least. Some of them actually looked glad to see the party. Mario was surprised.

"We were too…" Wishes commented quietly.

"Well, here we are," Mario answered. "And we defeated Reverie."

"Defeated, that's such a kind way to put it, don't you think?" Hattie muttered, earning a glare from Mario.

"Whoa, Hattie! You're…not in the wheelchair," Xavier noticed.

"Long story," Hattie replied sedately.

"Wait a minute…" Koopetto mumbled. "It's dark out. How long were we away?"

"Oh, you know, ten hours," Xavier replied. "It's eleven at night now."

"Eleven?" Mario repeated. "That's crazy…"

"But…where is the Blossom Roger?" Xavier asked, now that he'd calmed down slightly. "What happened?"

"Oh, that's a good question," Goomessa said, looking at Mario with a smile.

"Well…" Mario didn't want to have to tell the trust, but he was at a loss for lies. "The castle was burning, courtesy of Reverie herself-"

"I'm sorry, _her?_" Xavier interrupted. Mario stared at him for a second before remembering this was news to everyone but the party.

"Yeah, interesting thing," Mario answered. "Reverie turned out to be a girl."

"Well, then go on," Xavier said, sounding confused.

"So the castle was burning, and we were worried we wouldn't get to the rocket before the entire thing burned down…" Mario trailed off.

"And you let it burn…" Xavier finished, oddly calm. "You, uh, you let the Blossom Roger burn. _You let a thirteen billion, four hundred million dollar space project burn to the ground?"_

"I know this is bad, but Xavier, you need to understand-" Mario began, but he didn't finish.

"I don't care! You let it burn!" Xavier cried. It was then that Callie stepped forward, glaring at the Magikoopa.

"Listen, Mr. Xavier," she ordered. "Sure, we _could_ have saved your precious rocket, and taken our chances with the roaring fire in Reverie's bedroom, but there's that whole mortality instinct, okay? So stop yelling at Mario! He's a good guy, okay? Okay?"

"Fine, you're right," Xavier agreed after a moment. "I'm sorry, Mario. I guess you have your adventure to finish and the world to save…right? I suppose that's more important than the rocket any day."

"Thanks," Mario replied. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to get to Gillisville."

Xavier walked up to Callie and stared into her eyes. "There, I forgave him, happy?" he whispered.

"Yeah, happy enough," Callie answered, her eyes mere slits. "Good choice, too. I almost had to hurt you."

**:::::**

The group appeared in the air in Gillisville and landed carefully on the sand. Callie looked around in disgust. "Wow, is this place observing some kind of Drab Day? It's usually so pretty…"

"You know, you're the first to say that," Mario replied. "Interesting you should say that. But Gillis told us about how Troy got angry because Gillis didn't have the Cloud Fragments, so he turned the place into what it is."

"Funny," was all Callie said before the group walked back across town up to Gillis's house. Mario knocked on the door, and was promptly answered by the sound of jingle bells.

"Hi, guys!" Gillis greeted them, opening the door. "I had my door fitted with these so that they ring whenever someone knocks."

"…Why?" Mario asked confusedly.

"I have no idea. Now let's get talking. What did you do now?" Gillis asked.

"This is Callie," Mario explained. Callie giggled and hugged Gillis tightly. Gillis gasped for air, and when it became clear he was going to pass out, Mario stepped in between them. Callie looked back at Gillis and saw his face was blue.

"Aw, jeez, I'm sorry," she apologized. "That happens all the time with me."

"That's fine, miss," Gillis assured her, straightening his robe. "Now that you've found the Cloud Fragment, I'd have to ask: do you have any idea where the next one might be? I'm sorry, but I have no clue…Callie, do _you_ know?"

"No, sorry," Callie replied with a grimace. "None of us know where the others are trapped. Sandy could be anywhere."

"Sandy?" Mario repeated. "She's the Bob-bomb?"

"Yep, Sandy Lerre," Callie confirmed. "But again, I'm not sure where she is. Sorry about that…"

"That's fine, Callie," Mario assured her, but he himself was puzzled. Now there wasn't any lead for the party as to how to get the next Cloud Fragment. "I suppose we should get some sleep. We'll find a hotel somewhere and figure things out."

"Will it be the Golden Candle?" Snow asked. Mario noticed that her eyes looked rather gaunt, and her face pale.

"Sure, why?" Mario asked, almost accusingly.

"No reason…"

**:::::**

"This place is so great after Star Castle," Jazz remarked as the party stepped inside the hotel. "The castle was so cold, and this is just so nice."

Snow shivered. "We still have room fifty, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Mario answered as the party walked down the halls into their room. There were now only _just_ enough beds for the entire party. But considering how long they'd been gone, a warm bed was a relief either way.

**:::::**

Mario had more odd dreams that night. The party made their way across Paratonis, which was exceptionally warm, almost stuffy, though they were mostly silent. Mario wasn't even quite sure where they were going. The first real conversation came as they were passing Ferris Airlines.

"I wonder when it's coming," Goomessa murmured.

"Me too," Fluzz agreed.

"What are you talking about?" Mario asked.

"You know…" Goomessa replied softly. "That thing."

"What?" Mario asked confusedly.

There was a loud beeping from out of nowhere, but Mario would have said it was coming from his left. Wishes turned at Mario and shrieked, "_Air raid!_"

Everybody dropped to the floor. Both Mario's partners and random people they didn't know hit the floor like flies. Mario himself stayed standing and looked around bewilderedly. "What's going on?" he shouted. Nobody replied.

And then, of course, Mario shot up in bed and cried out in fear. Luckily, this time, none of his partners happened to be there to hear him. Apparently everyone had left somewhere. Looking to his left, he discovered that the alarm had just gone off. It was now ten o'clock. Turning it off, he sighed.

But then Snow walked inside. At first, she didn't see Mario and was currently about to put something Mario couldn't see into her mouth. In her other hand she held a glass of water. Right before she did so, she saw and then stared at Mario. "Uh, hello…" she mumbled.

"What's that?" Mario asked.

"Nothing," Snow answered quickly. Mario got out of bed and advanced towards her.

"What's in your hand?" Mario asked again, powerfully this time.

Snow sighed. "Pills," she replied, showing him the two red capsules in her palm.

"What for?"

"Oh, you know…" Snow trailed off. "For my complexion."

"What do the pills do?" Mario repeated.

"They, uh…Okay, fine. They help me stay becoming and-well, I'll be honest-thin. My doctor prescribed them to me when I was singing."

"Well, no offense to your doctor or your pills," Mario chuckled, "but Snow, you're beautiful."

"I know," Snow agreed. "But they're addictive. I left them here when we last stayed here and I haven't had them in two days now. I'm…sorry."

"Don't apologize," Mario told her. "Just throw them away."

"You think if I had the willpower to do that I wouldn't have gotten rid of them when I first came with you?" Snow demanded, suddenly fierce. "I can't do that!"

"Then I will," Mario replied, holding out his hand. "Give them to me."

Snow reluctantly put them in his hand. He tossed them in the garbage can. Snow shuddered.

"You do realize I'm going to look kind of like this for a few days?" Snow asked, indicating her face.

"You look fine," Mario assured her. "Let's get the others."

So they walked back down the halls to the lobby. The woman at the desk saw Snow and called her name. The Toadette whipped around to see the lady. "Yes?" she asked.

"Miss Snow, I have mail for you," she explained, holding an envelope out. Snow skipped over and grabbed it.

"Oh, let's see what this is…" she murmured. "Hmm…oh! Hey, Mario, I have something for us."

"What do you mean?" Mario asked.

"It's not the Cloud Fragment, but I have an invitation to my friend's birthday party. I can take as many people as I like. Is that okay?"

"Well, I suppose that would be nice," Mario answered. "When is it?"

Snow looked at the letter and blanched. "It's uh, today. I guess I got this really late. It's at seven, though, so we should be okay, right?"

"Sure," Mario sighed. "Now…_where_ is it?"

"Martin Mansion, Sunstream Springs," Snow replied. "You can get there by pipe at the northwest end of Paratonis."

"Sounds good," Mario confirmed. "I guess we'll need to dress up. Let's go tell everyone else."

"Kay-kay."

**:::::**

"Operator, please."

"Good morning, this is operator 217. How may I help you?"

"My name is Jo Lancing. Please turn the volume on your end down as far as possible. Now I want you to listen very carefully. What I say is very important to you right now. In exactly one day and 52 minutes, your company will receive an envelope with two things in it. The first thing is a bundle with one hundred million dollars in it. This is money from my own wallet, I haven't stolen anything. The first 20,000,000 says you can disguise my voice when you repeat my message-which I am about to give you-at exactly 4:00 P.M. tomorrow, over the phone in Room 100 at Martin Mansion, Sunstream Springs. The second 30,000,000 says you won't tell _anybody_ I've called you, no matter what anyone says. And the last 50,000,000 says that in exactly two hours and five minutes from the time you receive the envelope, you'll destroy all phone records since 7:00 tonight.

"If you accept my offer, keep the money and return the envelope to the address printed on the back of it. It should read 922 Chariot Drive. If you do not accept, send the money to the address _in cursive_ on the back of the envelope-it should read 236 Ponsit Street-along with the second item in the envelope. The item is a letter sent under the alias Mercedes Love. But it is imperative that you _do not_ send these things in the envelope you receive. If you wish to ensure that I am not lying about the items in the envelope, feel free to check through them. But make your choice fast, because you must send whatever items correspond with your choice _before_ the phone records are destroyed. This is very important. If there is any error in this operation, call me at the number listed on the back of the envelope. If I deem the error to be your fault, every single person in your company building will die at 8:00 P.M. that day. So I would advise you to be careful. The message is as follows. Do you have a recording device?"

"…Of course."

"Ahem. 'Good evening, inspectors. I guess you guys aren't as smart as I thought, because it should be quite obvious to you at this point just who I am. How unfortunate. Try harder? I do love a chase. Or maybe…you're just in the wrong line of work. Maybe _that_ will get you motivated. Goodbye!'

"Remember, you may not contact anyone-no friends, no family, and especially not the police or other investigative bureaus about this operation, unless you all want to die. _Good day, operator._"

**:::::**

"A party? Too cool!" Goomessa cheered after Mario and Snow told them the entire situation. "I _love_ birthday parties!"

"Yes, because I hear it turned out _so well_ last time," Hattie muttered.

"Well, I think Goomessa is right. It should be fun," Koopetto commented. "Do we have to dress up too terribly fancy?"

"Oh, not much," Snow replied. "Just a bit of flair here and there…"

**:::::**

"So wait, what would the definition of 'a _lot_ of flair' be on your planet?" Koopetto demanded. He was currently dressed in a maroon velvet pants suit with an orange beret.

"Hey, it isn't that bad," Snow argued. "Now turn up your collar. It looks more fancy that way."

"Snow, this really is a bit unnecessary," Mario complained in his cerulean three-piece suit and yellow scarf.

"Guys, you don't understand," Snow pleaded. "My friends, they're…well, rich. And most of them are famous. Now three of eight of us have that covered, of course. But the rest of you…look, I love you, but it would be painfully obvious that you weren't rich unless you wore this stuff and talked fancy."

"Wow, we feel so loved," Fluzz deadpanned.

"And aristocrats, you know, tend to like other aristocrats and not much else, so that's why I need you guys to do this, okay?" Snow asked.

Mario sighed. "Okay, sure, Snow. I guess we can't resist that."

"I know," the Toadette replied, suddenly bright and light-hearted, before skipping through the doors of the hotel room. "Come on, we'll be late! And I want to stay around Sunstream Springs before we go to the party! It's a lovely place!"

"I think she just faked with us," Goomessa said quietly.

"I can't believe you said 'I think'," Koopetto chuckled.

**:::::**

**Yeah! Finished within a day! That doesn't happen often anymore. Sorry if this part was short, but I hope you like it.**

**And Snow got character development of some sort! How crazy is that?**

**So yeah. Next we'll have an interlude before getting into chapter seven, which is AWESOME! I ENJOY CHAPTER SEVEN VERY MUCH.**

**Anyway, tell me what you thought, and I'll be back soon.**

**See ya!**


	67. Twilight: Interlude

**Hi guys! What's up PEOPLES? Yeah, that's what you are, peoples. Would you like me to say ladies und gentlemin, bows and gerls? MAKE ME SOUND ALL FINNISH WHY DON'T YA?**

**Or Nordic anyway. I'm not sure exactly what country that sounds like. So anyway, we have officially arrived at the interlude of chapter six, which isn't _too_ exciting in and of itself, but it does mean that after this we'll be going into chapter seven, which as you probably know by now, is very fun.**

**You know how I said that chapter two was my favorite chapter? Honestly, I mostly said that because of Snow. You know? Characters are always better in your head…So make two a close second. Because seven is just that awesome. BUT YOU DON'T GET TO KNOW WHAT IT IS! I'm just evil like that.**

**I don't own Mario, blah blah blah. Let's go.**

**:::::**

Troy sat on his bed and stared at the floor. At least a hundred things must have been going through his head. Everything had been going perfectly. His old plan had been done away with without trouble, his new plan was working just the way it was supposed to, and no one had any objections. Except, apparently, his top general.

It was impossible to say why Maddie would betray him like this. Peach had definitely denied it, but then she hated Troy with a passion. But after all, the news _had_ come from Twink, and it was difficult to get him to comply with anything any day. So many ideas…

Outside the window lived only shadow and darkness. When Troy had first come to power, the darkness was the color of pitch; now, it resembled a faint gray. "I suppose Mario can't be far from the last Fragment," Troy said to himself. "There isn't much time left. Can't wait…

"Twink, I know you're there, stop hiding," he suddenly called, looking behind his shoulder and out his bedroom door. The Star floated inside slowly and gave Troy a long, hard look.

"How long have you been here?" Twink asked, both curiously and accusingly.

"About an hour," Troy replied dejectedly. "But what do you care?"

"I just wanted to know if you're alright," Twink answered. "Some of us are getting worried about you, you know? We just want to-"

"Why did you hide?" Troy interrupted him. "If subordinates hide, how can a king trust them?"

Twink glared at him for a moment before softening his expression. "What are you talking about?" he asked, knowing full well what Troy meant.

"I just can't believe Maddie would do this," Troy interrupted him.

"Look, Troy," he sighed. "As unfair as it may sound, I know I know, and _you_ know I know that I've never liked you. You're a hypomanic, histrionic, paranoid, schizoaffective, cyclothymic-and let's be honest-psychotic charlatan-"

"Is this pep talk going anywhere?" Troy demanded.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Twink apologized hastily.

"Yeah, how could I be _offended_ by those things?" Troy said sarcastically.

"What I'm trying to say, Troy, is that no matter what happens, you can't just loaf around and tell yourself how sad the world is, okay?" Twink explained. "You have to actually do something about this! Confront Maddie about it. You know, fire her or something."

"You know what? That's not a bad idea," Troy answered with a smile. "I think I'll-wait, no…" he suddenly cut himself off in a better tone, gently and deliberately looking up and staring with an unseeing gaze out the window. "That's too nice…Troy's gonna get even…"

"You know nothing good ever happens when you start referring to yourself in the third person," Twink told him.

"Troy doesn't care…"

**:::::**

Peach lay on her bed, staring up at the invisible ceiling. She was excited for Maddie's next visit, but at the same time, she was rather nervous-not to mention lonely. Troy could come busting in at any moment he wanted to ask her again about Maddie, and who knew what she could say? And of course, if he came in again when Maddie herself was there, it was all over. Troy would know everything. Troy would kill Maddie instantly, and the possibilities of what he would do to Peach weren't things she wanted to think about.

She decided she was just being paranoid and negative. When Maddie came, she was sure to cheer up. Maddie always knew exactly what to do, and it was a good thing too, because Peach sure as heck didn't.

Eventually, there came the familiarly loud knock at the door. "Hello?" she asked.

"Good afternoon, princess Peach," called Maddie from outside as she walked in. "I'm glad to see you."

"Hi, Maddie," Peach almost laughed. "How are you?"

"Okay," Maddie replied. Peach noticed that her attitude seemed much less bouncy and bright. "Troy told us all that Mario's found the sixth Cloud Fragment. He acted really worried, but that's just because all of his generals but me don't know about his plan. You know the one?"

"Where he's just going to wait? Yeah, you told me last time you were in here," Peach agreed. "So where did he find it?"

"Oh, in some place called Star Castle in space," Maddie answered. "Troy didn't give us all the details, but he told us all to keep the search for the Fragments going as best we can. But the only problem is, I have no idea how to help Mario with the next one, because Troy isn't motivated to look for them anymore, which means we don't know where they are. I feel useless…"

"You're not useless, Maddie!" Peach reassured her. "You've helped Mario before, and I'm sure he'll do okay. And besides that, you keep me company! That's gift enough."

"Thanks, princess," Maddie replied with a smile. "I'm grateful for that. I just get worried that Mario won't be able to get something done and it'll be all my fault."

"Mario's smarter than you think," Peach told her, rather annoyed.

"You're right," Maddie decided. "Oh, wait. There's just one more thing I need to tell you that I forgot to before. See, Troy was telling me earlier-"

Peach never found out how she planned to finish the sentence. At that very moment, the door came down with a deafening crash. Peach and Maddie stared in horror at the bright doorway. In stormed Troy, heading straight for Maddie.

Peach's mind froze; she knew what she was seeing, but she couldn't process it. And even if she tried to think of a plan, there was nothing to do, and how Troy was inevitably going to act couldn't be helped.

"MADDIE!" Troy bellowed. "YOU TRAITOROUS, SPASTIC, SELF-IMPORTANT BRAT! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?"

"Troy, I-"

"I didn't want an answer, mongrel!" Troy shouted. "Just shut up while I decided what to do with you! You're pathetic, Maddie! And to think I almost…"

"Almost what?" Maddie asked.

"SHUT UP!"

"Troy, stop!" Peach yelled. Troy blinked a few times and turned his gaze slowly on her.

"_What_ did you say?" he asked quietly.

"I said stop!" Peach repeated. "Maddie didn't do anything wrong! She's been doing the right thing, coming and telling me what's going on!"

"I don't _want_ the right thing!" Troy retorted. "I want control! I want power! I want to say 'get me a moldy toasted bagel with mushrooms and ice cream' and have a moldy toasted bagel with mushrooms and ice cream at my side instantaneously just because I can! I think I made it clear from the beginning, princess, but in case I didn't, I don't care about anything! I want to destroy everything and then take it for my own just because it's mine! I…LOVE…HATE!"

Peach just stared pitifully at him. He'd really lost it at this point. "But Troy…if you hate everything, then you can't hurt Maddie."

Troy glared at her with a fire she was worried would jump out of his eyes at her. "And why not?"

"If you hurt her, she'll be a martyr," Peach replied firmly. "She'll still have done the right thing. If you-" she gulped, "get rid of her, it'll be for a good cause. Would you like that?"

Maddie looked over at her with a shocked face, as though surprised to be saved by Peach. Troy sighed dramatically. "Well, I suppose you have a point," he decided. "Men, take Madeline out of my sight!"

Two figures filed into the room and grabbed hold of Maddie's arms. They both wore expensive-looking gray military gear with a black stripe at the top of the helmets. Maddie stared at the floor as they "escorted" her out of the room.

Troy then turned to face Peach. "As for you…" he murmured, lifting his scepter and looking at it carefully. "You don't have a place in this set-up anymore, do you? I suppose my plan is working well enough, and Mario still thinks you're locked up with no one to see you, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Peach asked nervously.

"Goodbye, princess," Troy answered, pointing his scepter directly at her.

**:::::**

"Kammy, how long have we been on this thing?" Bowser asked.

"Only twenty minutes, Your Anxiousness," Kammy replied exasperatedly. This was the tenth time she had told him how long they'd been on the plane.

"Well, why won't we get there faster?" Bowser demanded.

"I'm sorry, Lord Bowser sir, but I can't make time go faster," Kammy told him.

"Well try harder!"

A silver Bob-bomb in a flight attendant's outfit walked out of the pilot's room and proceeded to make her way down the hall, stopping at Bowser and Kammy's seats. "Excuse me, sir, but could you quiet down a little?"

"Hah?" Bowser said confusedly.

"Someone just complained, and I do like to ensure a good flying experience for all passengers," the Bob-bomb explained kindly.

"Who complained?" Bowser asked irritably.

"Me," the Bob-bomb answered simply before turning back around and waddling into the pilot's cabin.

"Well, _that_ was rude," Kammy mumbled. "But the great Lord Bowser won't be stopped by a simpleton who's not even at his level of authority, will he?"

"Sure thing, Kammy," Bowser replied with a similar spirit. "So wait, Kammy, how long have we been on this thing again?"

**:::::**

About an hour later, Kammy looked out her window and discovered that the plane was descending. _Finally,_ she thought.

"Hello, passengers, and good day to you all," the Bob-bomb called over the main intercom. "In about one minute, we should be landing in Ievan Heights. For those of you getting off here, thank you very much for flying on Ferris Airlines. Please take all your luggage with you, and have a nice day."

As if on cue, the same green case from before fell from the baggage rack again and hit Bowser squarely on the head. "OW!" he cried. "Oh, I hate this plane! I hate it, hate it, hate it!"

The silver Bob-bomb walked into the hall immediately and walked slowly over to Bowser and Kammy.

"Um, excuse me, sir, I believe I asked you earlier if you could quiet down a little," she reminded him irritably. "I'd hate to have to ask you to leave at our next stop."

"We _are_ leaving at the next stop," Bowser replied. The Bob-bomb looked like she was about to argue, but then blinked a few times.

"Good grief," she muttered. "Well, then have a nice day, and _please_…don't ride Ferris Airlines again if you're going to act this way again."

"Don't tell me what to do," Bowser growled.

"Please don't be rude," the Bob-bomb pleaded. "I have a party later today, and I'd like to be in a good mood."

"Then why don't you just go away?" Bowser demanded. Kammy looked worried at this point and hopped out of her seat to intervene.

"Fine, I will then," the Bob-bomb replied, turning around and storming down the hall.

"You do that!" Bowser shouted after her.

"Lord Bowser sir, I don't think that was very nice of you," Kammy warned him. "There could have been fight in the middle of the hall, and on a plane, that wouldn't have been a good idea."

"She wasn't worth being nice to," Bowser replied, his eyes narrowed.

"I notice not a lot of people are with you, Lord Bowser sir," Kammy told him.

**:::::**

**AND THERE WE HAVE IT! Chapter six is officially over! Over guys! I'm sorry for the epic shortness of this part, but I had complete writer's block for the Bowser part (as usual) and I couldn't find a way for the other two parts to pick up the slack…So yeah, sorry. Anyway, I'm glad to see the end of chapter six, even though it was fun to write, because HOLY FRICK GUYS CHAPTER SEVEN IS NEXT! I lub it!**

**By the way, I hope at least _somebody_ recognized why I used the name I did for this chapter. And the last one. 'Cause if nobody did, I'd feel rather dumb.**

**That said, I don't honestly like the namesakes of either chapter. And I don't own them either.**

**So eventually, I'll see you with the beginning of chapter seven, but not before a quick note. For obvious reasons, there will not be a Troy or Peach section in the next interlude. For this reason, I'm stuck on how to get the Bowser section out without it being monumentally short. Can I stuck it on the end of the previous part? Or would that look stupid? Please give me some ideas.**

**See ya!**


	68. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part I

**Hey, hey, hey, guys! Nice to see you all. But don't flatter yourselves…you're only **_**extremely**_** awesome. **_**Ridiculously**_** awesome is mostly reserved for a) the creators of Nintendo, b) the creators of Death Note, c) the creators of Vocaloid (lotta Japanese people, I know), and d) ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY! Which, technically, if one of your relatives read this, that would include you…So get one of your friends or family on the computer already and make yourself **_**ridiculously**_** awesome!**

**No, in fact, I have no clue what I'm talking about. But I do when I say that OMIGOSH we've finally reached chapter seven! Is mah favorite! Which I'm sure you know by now.**

**Anyway, if you're a big Paper Mario fan, you've likely noticed that in the first two games, there was a specific kind of chapter that occurred near the end, and (if you're me) was your favorite chapter ever. You'll probably know what I'm talking about, but if you don't…then just read.**

**I don't own Mario, and all that stuff, let's go.**

**:::::**

"Now remember, keep a straight face, and don't mess up your clothes, and don't look anyone in the eyes, and don't talk a lot, and make sure to do as my friends do, and above all, whatever you do, _act like everyone is below you_," Snow reminded the rest of the party for at least the fifteenth time.

"We know, Snow," Goomessa replied exasperatedly. "You've told us all this, like, too many times. I think we can act rich and important if we need to."

"That's the problem," Snow argued. "However self-centered you _think_ you'll have to act, you'll need to act one thousand times more self-centered than that. It's a tough gig."

"Yeah, being a jerk and telling everyone how cool you are?" Hattie chuckled. "Sounds hard. I've gotta sit down."

"Guys, come on!" Snow whined in an amusingly juvenile fashion. "This is important to me! If my friends knew I was going to random places with people who aren't even rich _or_ famous, I'd be ruined! Like, forever!"

"How so?" Jazz demanded, scratching at his "neck", where the collar of his red suit with white polka dots was actually making an indent in his skin. "Explain this, o great one."

"Think about it!" Snow pleaded. "My friends are all special and important, and let's be honest. Five of seven of you just aren't."

"Guys, I think we have to respect Snow about this," Mario sighed. "We wouldn't want her friends to ridicule her, would we?"

All of his partners except Snow almost simultaneously half-grinned. Snow glared at everyone. "Well, it _would_ be kind of funny," Wishes remarked.

"That's enough, guys, we're going to do this the way Snow wants us to," Mario ordered.

Snow smiled. "Thanks, Mario," she said happily. "Let's go. The pipe to Sunstream Springs shouldn't be that far away."  
"Is that it over there?" Mario asked, pointing to a blue brick pipe not too far away. Snow giggled.

"That's the one," she confirmed, running up to it. "You'll love Sunstream Springs, I'm sure."

**:::::**

"Uh, Snow? Did you say we _would_ love this place?" Goomessa asked. She had been the first out of the pipe, and was now gazing around Sunstream Springs with a confused look on her face.

"Yeah, why?" Snow called from inside the pipe.

"'Cause when you think of a place called Sunstream Springs, it sounds all fun and happy. And this is so…not."

As Mario climbed out, he found out what she was talking about. Most of the ground was orange concrete, with some black matting in various places, as if to cover blemishes in the ground. Many broken-down houses lay on either side of the road, which twisted to the left a short way after the pipe. Everyone walking the streets looked apathetic or angry about something.

"Trust me, this isn't how I remember it," Snow told the others. "Then again, I haven't been here in ten years…But that's okay, right? We can still have a look around, can't we?"

"I suppose so," Mario replied, leading his partners down the road. Not very many people spoke to them or to anyone, and even when they did, conversation sounded shady and hurried. "Snow, this is sad, I'll tell you right now."

"Well, I still know the way to my friend's house, so don't be whining about that," Snow answered. "We just turn right here…wait wait wait!"

Mario skidded to a stop and stared at Snow. "This is my favorite part of town!" she cried.

"The courthouse?" Mario asked confusedly. The justice building was indeed the only building within twenty yards of the party.

"Yes," Snow replied simply. "The best thing about this place is that the court encourages people who see the trials here-and I'm sure there are a lot of them nowadays-to mock the guilty. It's so fun. Unless, I suppose, you're on the receiving end of the torture. _That_ wouldn't be fun."

"Well, what time is it?" Mario asked.

"Five thirty on the dot," Snow answered. "Can we _please_ see a trial?"

Mario rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure," he agreed. "It can't hurt, I guess. We're not exactly looking for the Cloud Fragment right now."

Snow beamed as the party walked into the hallowed establishment. Snow led them the short walk up a flight of stairs to a large set of French doors. "Here it is," she announced. "Maybe a trial is just starting, and we can see it with enough time to get to the party."

"I hope so," Mario answered absent-mindedly, reaching for the right doorknob. But before he could actually open the doors, they suddenly busted open the other way. Mario jumped back to avoid being hit.

Two Toad police walked out of the courtroom with a blue Crazee Dayzee in tow. The Dayzee was making aggressive attempts to resist being hauled away, but the officers were forceful. "Come on, Riley, you've got nothing to gain trying to stop us," one of them told the Dayzee.

"You're not getting this!" the Dayzee shouted. "I didn't do nothing wrong!"

The three of them kept walking, none of them noticing the party, until they were right up against Mario and his partners. The Dayzee glared at Mario. "Outta my way, bonehead!" he commanded.

"Shut up, Riley," the other Toad officer ordered, yanking on the Dayzee's arm. "Be respectful to your higher-class, _non_ crime committing fellow citizens."

"I'm telling you, I didn't commit any crime, you idiots!" Riley yelled rabidly.

"Yes, well, the jury didn't seem to think so," the first officer answered as the three walked down the stairs.

"Snow?" Mario asked quietly.

"Yeah?" Snow said.

"I'm thinking I don't want to see a trial anymore," the plumber decided.

"It looks scary," Koopetto agreed.

"And annoying," Fluzz put in.

"Aw!" Snow cried. "But it's so dang much fun!"

"Sorry, Snow, but it seems rather dangerous," Mario argued.

"Fine, then," Snow gave in bitterly. "Then we'll see a show or something."

"A show?" Mario repeated as the party made their way back down the stairs and outside.

"Yep. A big singing group puts on regular shows here," Snow explained, leading the party down the streets. "It's nice to watch. Please oh please can't we see just one?"

"Okay," Mario sighed. "Let's see just one."

"Yay!" Snow laughed, dashing down the street towards a large podium where many citizens were gathering. Among them, Mario saw that seven different people were stepping onto the podium. _They must be putting on the show,_ Mario thought.

"Come on, guys!' Snow called, and the rest of the party followed her to the growing crowd of spectators.

The people on the stand looked very excited and giddy. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen!" the Cleft in front greeted everyone in a warm voice. "I'm glad to see you guys! How are you today? Good? Good. We are…well, you know who we are, but we'll tell you anyway. We are the Dope Opera!"

"Good to see you all," a Koopa continued, skipping to the front of the podium. "This time, we're going to be doing some of our favorite acts for you guys. You just wait; I'm sure they're _your_ favorites too!"

"I think I've seen them before," Koopetto murmured.

"I know I haven't," Mario replied.

"Surprise, surprise," Goomessa chuckled.

The "Dope Opera" performed scenes and songs from obscure musicals and movies, most of which Mario had never heard. Nevertheless, they were very good singers and actors, and their voices blended well. Eventually, however, Mario became inpatient and worried the party wouldn't et to the party before seven. Then he asked himself why he actually cared.

When the show was finally over, Mario was relieved. "Snow, what time is it?" he asked.

"Only six," she replied. "We have all the time in the world."

"Well, let's get going anyway," Mario decided.

"That was fun, though," Wishes commented. "I liked those songs they did."

"And they were really fun to watch with the scenes," Fluzz agreed.

It wasn't more than five minutes before the party reached a large mansion at what appeared to be the end of Sunstream Springs. The mansion was colossal, with five floors discernable from the windows, which were painted violet. The building itself was made from bricks that were a beautiful shade of cardinal, and the steps leading to the front doors were the color of obsidian. The actual doors were carefully painted with a charcoal hue, and the rest of the door was an animating azure.

"It's absolutely angelic!" Jazz cried.

"Dazzling," Goomessa agreed as the party walked up the steps. Mario noticed uncomfortably that he and his partners seemed to be the only ones still arriving. Apparently everyone else had gotten here earlier. He hated being the last one to make an entrance.

But his thoughts were interrupted when a Toad in a large red dapper coat opened the door and stepped outside, staring Mario down. "Invitation, please," he said.

Mario looked back at Snow, who gave the letter to him, and the plumber handed it to the Toad.

The usher looked over the invitation. "What's the secret word?" he asked Mario suddenly. Mario's eyes widened.

"Uh…"

Snow stepped to the front of the group. "I'll handle this," she explained. "The password is lagomorph. It used to be caterwaul, and before that it was harbinger. The birthday girl wanted to be a painter until she was eight, and from then until she was eleven she wanted to run a charity, and since then she's wanted to become a professional pianist after she's got herself enough money to last her until she retires."  
The Toad blinked a few times. "Well, you're Snow T. all right. Please come in."

The party walked inside gingerly, and Mario got a first look around the place. "Whoa," he mumbled.

"What?" Snow asked.

"I had thought we were the limit of how audacious one could be dressed," Mario answered with a hint of a grin. "But these people just shattered that limit."

Reds and blues and pinks and greens and whites were everywhere on everyone. The entire hall was flashy-to the point of almost being nauseating. As the gang made their way through the hall, many partygoers said hello. Mario felt rather awkward responding however, as these people were obviously higher class than him or any one of his friends (except probably Snow and Jazz).

As the party progressed through the hall, Snow suddenly looked up in thought. "Wait, guys," she requested. "Peppermint and lilac…hey, wait! Feiss, is that you?"

Another Toadette in a blue scaled shirt that practically drowned her white-and-green striped Capri shorts spun around to see who was speaking. "What-Snow? You're totally here!" she laughed with a Californian pluck in her voice. "Oh my gosh, I haven't seen you in ages!"

"You too!" Snow replied, rushing towards the Toadette. "Guys, this is my good friend, Feiss T. I used to hang out with her all the time, but I haven't seen her in such a long time. Feiss, these are my friends, Goomessa, Koopetto, Fluzz, Wishes, Jazz, Hattie, and-"

"Mario?" Feiss T. interrupted her, sounding shocked, but for a split second, Mario could detect a hint of anger in her voice. "I can't believe I'd meet you here. Nice to uh…meet you."

"You as well."

"Hey, Snow, did you know I'm a detective now?" Feiss asked, completely dropping the subject. "It's exciting!"

"That's fun," Snow agreed. "I wonder where Tess is?"

"Tess?" Mario repeated, his face almost white. "_She's_ your friend who's having the party?"

"Yeah, why?" Snow asked.

Mario thought back to the time when the party, just of three people at the time, had tried to storm into the Central Music Hall in Ritzeltown, and discovered Snow and her friend Tess T. discussing Tess's impersonation of Snow. Snow definitely _wouldn't_ like to hear about the party's little eavesdropping trip. "No reason," Mario answered.

As he was finishing the sentence, Snow gasped. "It's Tess!" she announced. Mario turned in the direction she was facing and saw yet another Toadette walking down the stairs at the opposite end of the hall from the one the party had entered at.

She was stunning. She had almost silver mushroom spots and long blonde hair. She sported a white, sparkly, charming (albeit unsettlingly translucent) dress with black feathers on the shoulders.

However, Mario noticed that she looked nothing like Snow; she had silver mushroom spots and long blonde hair. Everyone cheered as she walked down the stairs.

Tess began greeting numerous guests lovingly, as though they were all very close relatives. It was touching, Mario decided, but Tess's voice in and of itself was quite disgusting. Too bubbly. She sounded, the plumber thought, like a telemarketer on a good selling day.

But before Mario could think more about this, the front doors suddenly burst open. Mario turned around to see, of all people, the seven performers from the show before. It had only been fifteen minutes, but he'd forgotten completely about these people.

But they upped the surprising factor significantly-rather to a disturbing factor-when they suddenly started shouting words across the hall.

"Dada!" a Lakitu giggled in an infantile tone.

"Epee…" the sky-colored one of two Bob-bombs murmured in an old, feeble voice.

"BOD'S HOT!" the other one, a deep blue, yelled.

"Mi-rror!" the Koopa sang, holding the first note for at least twenty seconds.

"Insane!" a Bub-ulb chuckled.

"Macho!" a yellow Spike Top said in a grand voice.

"_Random!_" the Cleft finished, jumping out in front of the group.

"And cue the applause!" they all sang. Tess rushed towards them.

"Oh, guys, I'm so glad to see you!" she cried, hugging each and every one of them. "I was worried you wouldn't come!"

"And I'm starting to wish they hadn't," Hattie muttered.

"Hi, everyone!" the Cleft called. Almost everybody said hello back.

"Now…" Tess began. "It's almost time for the party to start, so I suppose we should start, right? Follow me!"

She led everyone back up the stairs from which she had made her entrance, through a single long hall, and to a large banquet room with a completely set table in the middle. Mario couldn't help admiring the entire room; the table had a large purple velvet tablecloth fitted on it, and the room itself was carpeted red and had brown wood walls and ceiling, which hosted a gigantic white chandelier.

"Well, we're all here," Tess giggled, "so let the party begin!"

**:::::**

**Well, that's that for now. I'm sorry this was kind of rushed, but this chapter WILL GET COOLER as it goes on. I promise.**

**See ya!**


	69. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part II

**Hello, people! Freddy here, back with another installment of Paper Mario: The Legend of the Clouds. Chapter seven, part two ready. I promise you will like this chapter as it goes. I know I do. So yeah. I don't own Mario or any of that junk, so let's get started!**

**:::::**

Dinner began simply, with a few minor comments directed toward Tess T. about the elegance of the dining room. Mario made one such comment, prompting Snow to poke him sharply in the back. "I told you not to say anything," she warned him quietly.

Tess led everyone to his or her seat, which were apparently assigned. There was some confusion of who sat where, but Tess was very official and firm. Unfortunately, Mario wasn't able to sit next to his partners (he was, in fact, rather isolated in one of the corners with only two guests between Tess and him), and when he asked Tess if he could change seats with someone, she completely ignored him.

"Now that everyone is seated, we'll start," Tess chuckled. "Waiters!"

Several Toads walked in single file out of what was likely the kitchen from a large white door with a window in the very middle. They approached the table with pads, pens, and tall leather-bound pamphlets. As they reached the table and began handing these out, Mario realized they were menus. Somehow there managed to be exactly one for everyone, and after they were all handed out, the waiters began to speak to various guests. They seemed to be taking drink orders, so Mario flipped through the numerous pages to the very back and looked through the page-long list of beverages. He eventually settled on some Greek mineral water labeled Ράγα μεταλλικών νερών as a Toad came to his seat and looked expectantly at him.

"I'll have the, uh…sorry, the…I'm sorry, I've no idea how to pronounce this." Mario pointed at the headline, and the Toad nodded and wrote the name on his pad. Snow sighed.

As the waiters finished taking orders, conversation began to spark. Most of it was centered around Tess, but some had to do with the unusually interesting lives of the people speaking.

Much to Snow's dismay, Mario decided to get to know his fellow guests. To his left was a Doogan in a magenta tweed suit, who was very quietly sitting staring at the table with very pale gray eyes. Ignoring the notion that people with undefined pupils should be avoided at all costs, Mario spoke.

"Hello," he greeted the Doogan, who looked up and stared in front of him for a moment before turning towards Mario.

"Good evening," the Doogan answered with a smile in a deep voice that portrayed no accent whatsoever. "How are you?"

"Good, and you?" Mario asked.

"Just fine, thank you," the Doogan replied. "But what a time I had getting here! My jet broke down just yesterday, so I decided to take the bicycle track from Unvalis to the forest, you know? But I don't have a bicycle, and apparently they don't allow _anyone_ on the track without one! Crazy, right? So I actually had to walk here, with the two planes of course, which took a long time because I live in Wirklin and as you know that's five hundred and three miles from here so it was a long way. And now my clothes and fur are all messed up and I look like a joke! I'll have to fix everything up later, but of course it's rude to leave between courses and I just got here forty minutes ago, and that would never be enough time to make sense of my appearance. Hi, my name is Carter Derekson, what's your name?"

He held out his hand, and Mario shook it slowly, though he was extremely confused. "I'm Mario," he answered.

"Cool name! Nice ring to it," Carter told him. "But where could the waiters be? I know there're a lot of us, but it's just drinks, I'd expect they'd be here by now. By the way, where do you come from? Your voice is interesting."

"Well, originally, I was from Italy, but I've lived it Brooklyn-"

"Brooklyn, New York?" Carter cried. "I love that place! New York city is the best! I've been there so many times. The only problem is, you can't park _anywhere!_ You practically can't own a car. It's like the government is trying to tell us something about using cars too much or being too dependent on them or something like that? Isn't it annoying?"

"Sure is," Mario mumbled. Carter smiled.

At this time, the waiters emerged from the kitchen again, this time with trays in their hands. These trays held glasses with various beverages inside. Carter clasped his hands and turned toward Mario again. "Thanks for talking with me, Mario," he said brightly. "I like good conversations."

Mario sighed and turned around to see who sat to his right. A small Koopa with a light blue shell was busy talking to another taller Koopa next to her with a gray shell. He couldn't quite hewar what they were saying, but soon the smaller Koopa looked away from the other and fixed her gaze on something far past Mario. The plumber cleared his throat.

"Hello," he said. "My name is Mario."

The Koopa bit her lip. "Bon soir, monsieur," she replied.

Mario blinked. "I beg your pardon?" he asked.

"Je ne parle pas anglais," the Koopa said wistfully.

"I'm sorry, I don't know-" Mario began before the larger Koopa interrupted him.

"Dis, vos! Operor non-sermo ut meus uxor! Quis res vobis?" he shouted, garnering the attention of some of the other guests.

"What?" Mario asked helplessly.

"C'est fin, Acuzio, je peux contrôler ceci," the smaller Koopa told the other.

"Exsisto quietis, Charlotte!" the other Koopa yelled. Charlotte stared in front of her and didn't speak anymore.

"Don't even try," called a smooth, silk-like voice across the table from Mario. Mario turned to see a pink Goomba in a pink dress and pink skirt. _How…pink,_ Mario thought. "Charlotte is French and Acuzio is Latin. You'll never get through the barrier."

"I didn't realize…" Mario sighed. "But you at least seem possible to talk to. What's your name?"

"It's Caw," the Goomba replied. "Cassidy Caw. But you can just call me Sid. But…don't you recognize me from Baile Baile Live?"

"…What?"

"Baile Baile Live? The dance show?" Cassidy asked with an irritated look on her face. "You know what I'm talking about, right?"

"No," Mario replied meekly. "I've never heard of that. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well," Cassidy sniffed, "I've won the first place medal five times on Baile Baile Live. And Tess really admires me for that. So…what do _you_ do?"

"Uh, well…" Mario trailed off, not sure what to say. "My name is Mario. I'm just a friend of Snow's, so I'm here."

"Wait, wait, wait," Cassidy demanded. "You're a _friend of Snow's_? That's good, dude. That's impressive."

"Thank you, but I wouldn't call myself important," Mario laughed nervously, not wanting to draw attention to himself but well aware that this wasn't going to last long.

"See, that's your problem," Cassidy sneered. "People will walk all over you if you act like that. Get a spine, man."

And without another word, she picked up her glass with something viscous and pink in it and began to drink. Mario hung his head. This was not going well. Looking around for his partners, he discovered they were doing a whole heck of a lot better than he was. Goomessa was recounting the party's trip (when they were just a threesome) to Shanell Town, and while she was rather exaggerating the story, it was all charming and sweet (apparently to everyone else, her Philadelphian dialect was the most adorable thing in the world).

And Koopetto was giggling madly while telling everybody around him all about the time the party met Snow. Everyone was enthralled at his tale, which, now that Mario heard it repeated, was actually quite fantastic. Fluzz told everyone the story of the party's excursion into the Ferris Ruins, which got much applause.

Wishes, with a hint of a smile, chuckled throughout his retelling of their trip up Mount Incense and into the mill. Jazz, probably the giddiest of all, half-laughed and half-shouted out the story of the party's braving of Minstrel Trail and visit to Crima Mansion, which the guests around him found exceedingly entertaining.

And Hattie, quite sedate but definitely enjoying attention, told everyone about the party's use of the Blossom Roger to fly to a far-off castle. So the entire party was excited about getting to have dinner at a famous person's house except him. But at least none of the guests quite knew that the party was really an adventuring group that, for the most part, was not, had never been, and probably would never be rich or famous. And Mario had a good hunch that that was a good thing.

But it wasn't until the waiters came to collect glasses and take appetizer orders that his "pretty good hunch" became concrete knowledge. A Toadette with a Kelly green shade to her mushroom spots, auburn pigtails, and a sparkly orange dress with bright indigo polka dots skipped past Mario, evidently on her way to one of the rooms, and suddenly stopped. Mario looked up at her as she backpedaled a few steps and stared at him with wide blue eyes. Mario bit his lip and stared back. In that one glance, they shared an entire conversation, before the Toadette smirked and looked back at the table.

"Hey, guys!" she yelled. "This is Mario, the guy who saved Acuie and me from an evil ghost!"

Oh, yes. It was all over, Mario thought. Tess turned to gaze at the speaker and swallowed slowly.

"What are you talking about, Regali?" she asked confusedly. All of Mario's partners looked frightened, like they wanted to speak and resist Regali's announcement. Mario himself knew there was nothing to be done and remained silent.

"Mario came to our house and went into a tiny little hole with a big palace inside it and he defeated a ghost that was being all scary and stuff," Regali continued with a smile. "Oh, it was the most wonderful thing of him!"

"Why, Regali?" Mario asked in a light voice, not unlike the voice of one suffering from amnesia or recovering from a surgery.

"Wait, didn't you want me to do that?" Regali asked with a terrified look on her face. _Did you actually think I did?_ Mario thought.

"Okay, and let's say we all calm down and resume a nice, peaceful, what do you say?" Tess asked, standing and putting her hands on Mario and Regali's shoulders. "This is getting out of control, so why don't we just sit down and hey look our waiters have our appetizers!"

She then ushered the two back to their seats as the Toads came into the dining room once more with dishes upon trays in their arms. Mario sat down quietly and hoped nothing else horrifying would happen, but he knew something would very soon. And as the waiters proceeded to take soup and salad orders before leaving back to the kitchen, he wished he could follow them so he could be among people who didn't know he had just been publicly humiliated among the faces of the most grand and important the world had to offer.

Dinner continued easily, and the tense atmosphere seemed to lift away as the entrees arrived, to be replaced by a much more tranquil, collected one. Many guests left between courses, whether to change or fix up, and everything seemed at peace. Charlotte and Acuzio continued to argue:

"Resideo rectus Charlotte! Vos vultus amo a tardus!" Acuzio ordered.

"Je suis désolé, Acuzio. Il n'arrivera pas de nouveau," Charlottle whimpered.

"Iustus animadverto ut is des non," Acuzio replied with a glare.

And Carter kept trying to start meaningless conversations with Mario, most of them about food:

"Hey, what's that you're having?" he asked, pointing at the cup of peanut butter Mario had ordered as an appetizer.

"Just peanut butter," Mario answered.

"Peanuts are the main ingredients in dynamite," Carter told him.

"…Huh?"

"So how's it taste?" Carter asked.

"Well, maybe like peanuts and nutmeg-"

"Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously," Carter cut him off. Mario sighed.

When entrees arrived, Carter looked over at Mario's calamari dish and smiled. "Did you know that a large squid's eyes can get up to twenty feet across?"

"Why would I know that?" Mario demanded. Carter shrugged and Mario turned around to see Charlotte applying lipstick. Acuzio slapped her hand.

"Operor non operor ut, is est indignus era!" he barked.

"Mais Acuzio, je ne veux pas regarder-" Charlotte began.

"Exsisto quietis, Charlotte, quod loco ut absentis!" Acuzio shouted.

"Did you know that most lipstick is made of fish scales?" Carter asked with a chuckle.

"Oh, man, this is bad," Cassidy crowed with a smidgen of sympathy but mostly arrogance. "I would _hate_ to get stuck between _them_."

"Is that an insult?" Carter asked.

"No, not at all," Cassidy answered sarcastically.

"That's not nice," Carter said, crossing his arms.

"Je voudrais bien savoir ce qu'ils disaient," Charlotte mumbled.

"Is non has quisquam efficio vobis Charlotte!" Acuzio told her.

"You people are nightmares!" Mario cried. Many guests turned to stare at him.

"Is there something wrong, Mister Mario?" Tess asked.

"Not at all!" Mario replied angrily.

…But outside all that, the plumber was able to moderate his mind and felt natural and composed after a while.

As desert was finishing, Tess stood and held a white glass with intricate blue markings on it in the air and giggled. "I propose a toast, friends," she told everyone.

"To whom?" asked Feiss T. from the corner opposite Mario's.

"I have no idea," Tess replied in the same cheerful voice. The guests looked around confusedly until Goomessa cleared her throat and held up a glass. "To Tess!" she suggested. The hostess put her free hand to her heart and smiled wide as other diners joined in holding up glasses.

"That's so sweet," Tess said sweetly. "What's your name?"

"Goomessa," the Goombette replied. Snow half-grinned.

"Well, now that dinner is over, we have one more important matter to get to before the party ends," Tess announced. "Sad, sad, I know, but it has to come sometime. But for now…presents!"

Some of the Toad waiters, now in completely black outfits with golden streaks across the bucket hats, carried large amounts of elegantly wrapped gifts into the dining room and set them down next to the table.

"Please rise," Tess requested. The guests got out of their chairs, muttering confusedly to each other, and the Toads all worked to push the table out of the way. They then left back into the kitchen with a final bow to Tess, who turned back towards her guests. "Now let's begin."

The Toadette began unraveling paper and ribbons, gaining a furious amount of clapping and cheering. Mario was surprised at just how excited people were to watch her open presents, but then he reminded himself that she was incredibly rich, which, he supposed, made all the difference in the world.

The gifts almost all turned out to be considerably expensive trinkets, which were often heavily stylized by the givers with designs and colors. Particularly odd was the present from Charlotte and Acuzio, a small wooden jewelry box with gold leaves, oddly colored marbles, pieces of glass, tinsel, and a handful of edible cake decoration. And Mario couldn't forget the solid gold flute with diamonds set into the valves. Tess tried it out and found it wasn't hollow and couldn't be played, but seemed to like the gift anyway.

Eventually she came to her last and largest present. It was wrapped in blue striped paper. She walked over to it and untied the ribbon. As she had been doing before, she carefully undid the paper for a few moments before finally cracking and tearing the paper off. Everyone else laughed.

But instead of a box or an actual object, unwrapping the paper turned up another wrapped present, this one red with green swirls. Tess cocked her head to the side and tore this paper off too. But all she revealed was a black cardboard box. Tess smiled from eye to eye and opened the box…

Soon Tess's gift was no more than a foot cubed in volume. She was laughing at this point as she removed the gray wrapping paper from a wrapping of bubble wrap. The Toadette took this off as well and was about to continue when there was a shout from the back of the crowd.

"Don't ignore the bubble wrap!" Feiss told her.

Tess rolled her eyes. "It's kind of immature."

"Just one!" a Koopa girl chuckled from next to Mario. She looked and sounded very familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on how.

"Fine, just one," Tess gave in, and popped a single button. For some reason, everyone cheered, and Tess put her hand to her mouth in laughter before coughing, a simple throat-clearing cough, and beginning to unwrap the yellow tissue paper. Before she got far, however, she coughed again. This time she sounded quite sick. Mario narrowed his eyebrows as the Toadette continued to unwrap, but before long, she dropped the gift in a frightening choking fit. Many of her friends rushed to help her, but she pushed them away while still choking. The hacking got rapidly more severe, and she was gasping for air with terrible effort. After a few moments, Tess hissed, "Fi…!" and fell quickly forward.

Nobody had to say anything, but as a green Bob-bomb lifted Tess back up to a sitting position, her face was pale and lifeless, and everyone had the same horrid idea in mind.

Mario stood up and walked toward Tess. Without a single word, he took the yellow paper off, finally revealing a white box. He opened the box and retrieved from it a slip of paper. On it was a hastily scrawled message, which he read aloud:

"_Hey, Tess! How's your big day so far? I hope it's going great! I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun times that you'll remember forever. Cheers!_

_Love and hugs,_

_Sistef_

_P.S. Did you get your present?_

**:::::**

**There we go! What did you think? Thrills and chills? I sure hope so.**

**Tell me what you thought, and I'll be back relatively soon.**

**See ya!**


	70. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part III

**Hey, guys. Here we are at part three of chapter seven. I'm very glad, too, because we're going, over the course of the next few parts, to be deep and personally introduced to **_**every single character**_** in this chapter. And they're frickin cool. I don't own Mario, and I likely never will. So without further ado, let's start.**

**:::::**

Everyone stared at everyone else. No one had to speak, because anything anybody may have had to say was all right there in action, clear as day, plain as whitewall. Tess was dead, and nobody had any idea how. And the explosion was probably going to come in about three seconds, Mario figured. He decided to count them-

Too late. A small Toadette with light blue mushroom spots shrieked loudly and dashed towards Tess. After looking her over for a moment, she snatched the paper from Mario's hands and read it quickly. When she was finished, she dropped the paper and fell to Tess's side, sobbing.

For a few moments, no one else said anything. Feiss T. walked up to the front of the crowd and cleared her throat. "Okay, this is interesting, isn't it?" she laughed nervously. Nobody answered and she bit her lip. "Well, I guess the only thing we can say for now is please remain calm," she continued softly. "I know this is coming as a shock to all of us, but we'll help figure out what's going on. Marrifi? Duss?"

A ridiculously slender Koopa girl in a thin sea blue jacket and skirt and a Toad with horn-rimmed glasses and yellow mushroom spots stood up and walked towards Feiss. Mario recognized the Toad from somewhere, but the Koopa was quite unfamiliar. When they reached Feiss, they turned quickly around to face the rest of the crowd. Feiss nodded to both of them.

"These people are Marrifi Chantelle and Duss Alietta. They're both police officers. Now, the three of us are going to work together to find out what's happened to Tess," Feiss explained. "If anyone has any ideas or objections, please tell us. And Craff…please quit squeezing the deceased."

The Toadette sitting next to Tess sniffled and stood up. "Sorry, Feiss," she muttered, walking back into the crowd.

"You know, I keep thinking she's just gonna sit up screaming, and then the doctors will come running in, telling us she won't remember any of it when the anesthesia wears off," a Koopa girl mumbled.

A Lava Bubble, one of the guests who had previously attempted to help Tess, turned and glared at her. "This isn't anesthesia, Aviare," she growled. "Tess just choked to death. There's nothing else to say."

"Well, this is interesting, isn't it?" a Goomba girl laughed nervously. "It's not _all_ horrible, is it? Kind of…ironic and funny-"

"Optimists are annoying!" a Goomba standing next to shouted right in her ear.

"We're all gonna die, we're all gonna die, we're all gonna die-" the green Bob-bomb began to chant, getting louder each time.

"Pessimists are annoying!" the Goomba quieted him from across the room.

"Then what do you propose we should feel?" demanded the Dope Opera Cleft from the back of the crowd.

"People who ask questions are annoying!" the Goomba yelled.

"Will you all shut up?" Goomessa shouted. Everyone immediately obeyed.

Feiss sighed. "Now I'd like all of you to go to your rooms. If you don't have a room already, come…talk to us, I guess, for your lodgings."

Mario motioned for his partners to join him, and they made their way through the crowd to his side. The plumber turned toward Feiss and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Feiss?"

The Toadette spun around and crossed her arms. "Yes?"

"Two things," Mario said. "First, we need a room."

"Fine." Feiss took a slip of paper from her pocket and glanced over it for a moment before looking back up. "You'll have Room 50."

"Thanks," Mario acknowledged her. "And also, I thought you might like to know…I'm something of an inspector myself."

"Ha," Feiss replied, tossing her head back. "Sorry to break it to you, man, but-you're not an inspector because you have a curly moustache and a funny accent. Inspecting takes practice, determination, and common sense. Which, frankly…you don't appear to have."

Mario took a sharp breath. "Well, I really think I'd make a fair addition-"

"Yep. You _sure_ would," Feiss cut him off sarcastically. "Just go to your room, please."

"Seriously, Feiss? Are you serious?" Snow demanded. "Why can't he help? After all, he's one of my _close, personal friends._"

Feiss pouted without blinking for a good twenty seconds before hanging her head. "Fine, come along," she gave in. "But three things, mister. Never argue with us, never ask questions, and never make your own deductions. 'Kay?"

"…Of course," Mario replied. Feiss whirled around and began to walk away. But before she got far, she turned her head.

"And you'll be rooming with us in Room 100," she finished. Marrifi and Duss T. walked after, and Mario followed closely behind.

Feiss suddenly stopped again and looked up with a gleam in her eyes. "Dr. Artunian!" she cried.

The Lava Bubble from before turned slowly to face Feiss. "Yes?"

"With your permission, we'd like to borrow you for an autopsy on…her." Feiss gestured gently towards Tess.

"Of course," Dr. Artunian replied. "When would you like me to come?"

"Right now if you're available," Feiss answered.

Dr. Artunian blinked a few times. "Yes, I'll be there," she consented.

As she and the inspectors walked off in different directions, Feiss suddenly called back, "Oh, and Cassandra? …Please bring a stencil and a notebook."

The Lava Bubble stared after them as Feiss led the rest of the detectives away.

**:::::**

The hall wasn't too long, but Mario's legs were cramping by the time they'd made it up the stairs and to the door to Room 100. Feiss chuckled for a moment. "Here we are," she announced.

"Why's there a padlock on the door?" Mario asked.

"I brought it," Feiss explained. "I don't fancy people breaking into my room."

"Why would anyone break into your room?" Mario asked confusedly.

"I come from _California,_" Feiss told him, turning the knob on the lock. "You have _no_ idea what it's like."

Mario was thoroughly annoyed by now. "Yes, because you're so special that someone like me could never understand you, right?"

"In fact, yes, I am," Feiss replied with a smirk, unlatching the lock. "I'm an inspector, and you're…not."

As they walked in, Mario took a few deep breaths. _She's just cautious,_ he decided. Feiss ran off into the kitchen and Marrifi and Duss sat in small chairs. Everything was so contained and refined.

"Did you used to be a psychiatrist?" Mario asked Duss suddenly.

"What are you talking about?" the Toad demanded. "I've always wanted to be a police officer."

"Of course." Mario sat quietly in a chair of his own before Feiss returned, talking into a phone. "Yes, okay. Really? Okay, that will be-oh, you're right there. Okay, then. I'll get the door."

She put the phone down and opened the front door to the suite. Dr. Artunian stood there behind a small bed with a white blanket draped over it. Mario could only guess that Tess lay on the bed.

"I'm so glad you could come so soon, Cassandra" Feiss told her. "Thank you."

"Oh, it was no problem," Cassandra replied. "I suppose we should get this over with. I brought the stencil and notebook, but I really don't know why you wanted them."

"Oh, just give them to me for now," Feiss requested, taking the items and placing them on the kitchen counter. "Now why don't we start?"

"Uh, great idea," Dr. Artunian replied. "I suppose…maybe you guys might want to leave. I'm not a pathologist, but I know these things can get kind of scary. And since this is probably a forensic autopsy, it might be a little disgusting. Is that okay?"

Marrifi sped out of the room immediately, followed by a sighing Duss. Feiss grabbed Mario's arm and led him into a bedroom. "Hey, quit it!" Mario shouted, but Feiss wouldn't let go.

Once all four of the inspectors were in the same room (Marrifi had gone running aimlessly about the suite, mostly in circles), Feiss sat on the bed and breathed heavily.

"Cassandra said forensic autopsy," Feiss reminded everyone. "Do you know what that is?"

The other three looked at each other for an answer, and eventually shook their heads at the Toadette.

"It means legal," Feiss explained. "An autopsy concerned of legal or criminal importance. You know what this means, right?"

No one answered.

"Cassandra just said…that Tess was murdered."

**:::::**

"_Murdered?"_ Snow cried. The gang was now in Room 50 with Mario's partners, and had just told everyone what Dr. Artunian had said. And such an offhanded comment had sparked the most horrible reaction in just about every one of Mario's friends.

"No, no, no no no no no…" Snow mumbled. "No, that's not possible. No decent person would kill Tess. Never. She was a wonderful person and everyone was her friend, why would anybody murder her? Tell me now…"

"I'm sorry, Snow, but we don't know yet," Mario replied.

"No!" Snow cried, falling to the floor and sobbing. "Tess is…my best friend! She can't die! Oh, she was so great and now…she's dead! Tess…"

"I just can't believe this either," Goomessa commented.

"Why would there be a killer in this mansion?" Koopetto wondered aloud.

"Hello? We're in _Sunstream Springs_?" Wishes answered. "Why _wouldn't_ there be a killer here?"

"I dined with a murderer. Oh my gosh, I dined with a murderer. I dined with a murderer, I'm going to die!" Snow suddenly shouted.

"Is she okay?" Mario asked Feiss.

"Oh, she's just going through the stages," Feiss explained. "It happens a lot when someone's died or been hurt-you know. There are usually seven. She's got through Aftershock, and Sadness, and Paranoid."

"What's after that?" Mario asked.

"I want to know who killed her," Snow announced angrily. "I want to know who he was, and I want his head on a stick! Yeah!"

"And here we get to the Anger stage," Feiss chuckled. "So sad."

"Do I _want_ to know what comes next?" Mario mumbled.

"But then, you know what, guys?" Snow said slowly, still lying on the bed. "Maybe Cassandra's just…wrong. Maybe it didn't-yeah, this didn't happen! It's all just wrong. It's all…no, this didn't happen, right, guys?"

"And then Denial," Feiss explained.

After another few moments, Snow stood up and stared at everyone with a grin on her face. "Oh, this is so weird…" she said in a lively kind of tone. "This is so strange. Tess…and dead…no those don't go together, right? This is so funny! So weird!"

"And then Giddy," Feiss continued, filing her fingernails.

"So what's after that?" Mario asked. He got his answer quickly as Snow sighed and fell facedown on the bed again. Soft snoring could be heard.

"Apparently Sleep," Feiss replied in one hundred percent monotone.

Nobody said anything else, for there was a loud thump downstairs, following by an unsettling crash. "Oh, dear," Marrifi said worriedly.

**:::::**

"Hey, what's going on?" Feiss shouted. Several guests were currently throwing vases, books, and whatever they could get their hands on, at each other. The inspectors stared in fear.

"Everybody, quit it!" Feiss yelled. "Wha-"

The Koopa girl known as Aviare chucked a painting towards the Spike Top from the Dope Opera, but missed entirely and hit the wall with a loud crack. The inspectors gaped.

"That's for using words I don't understand!" Aviare shouted.

"What intelligent person doesn't know the word 'irony'?" the Spike Top demanded.

"Maybe I'm not that intelligent!" Aviare sobbed.

"Everyone, please, this is crazy!" Feiss tried again.

"Yeah, well, at least _I_ don't keep _pet roses_ in a goldfish bowl!" Cassidy butt in.

"We told you, they aren't pets, they're for comfort!" the Dope Opera Lakitu replied. "You don't listen to anybody!"

"SHUT UP YOU IDIOTS!" Feiss shrieked. "JUST SHUT UP NOW."

Everybody immediately quieted down and stared at the inspectors.

"What is wrong with you people?" Feiss demanded. "I'm not just angry, I'm…I'm disappointed! What former friends of Tess are you to be so immature? I mean Jeez Louise!"

The guests all stared at her with confused looks on their faces. "What happened?" Cassidy asked to no one in particular.

"You guys exploded all over the dining room!" Feiss shouted. "Now…if you'll maybe keep quiet for ten minutes and if you could possibly settle down-that means everybody sit-we have news. You may be interested to know that an autopsy, courtesy of our own Cassandra Artunian, revealed that Tess didn't die of natural causes, and it wasn't suicide. So it was either a disease or homicide."

"Huh?" Aviare asked.

"Homicide means murder," explained the Koopa girl next to her.

"_Anyway,_ Cassandra said she didn't find any type of disease, but there were broken cells or something like that, so it may have been something infectious."

"Like what?" Aviare asked.

"I don't know, Lyme Disease!" Feiss answered irritably.

"What's Lyme Disease?" Aviare asked.

"You get it from ticks," Feiss replied.

"How do you spell that?" Aviare persisted.

"Ticks?"

"No, Lyme Disease," Aviare answered.

Feiss sighed. "With a y. _Anyway, back to the real world-_"

"No, that doesn't look right," Aviare whined.

"What are you talking about now?" Feiss demanded.

"I wrote it down, but it doesn't look right," Aviare explained.

The other Koopa girl looked at her right and smacked her forehead. "Maybe because you spelled 'disease' wrong."

"Well, she didn't specify which word had the y in it."

"On what planet does the word 'disease' have a y in it?"

"…I dunno."

"_ANYWAYS,_" Feiss continued, waving her hands in the air, "if we can possibly get back to the point, there weren't any wounds on Tess's body, so either it's disease or, the more likely option, someone killed her without leaving a mark. Now aren't you all happy you spent dinner with a murderer. But don't worry, there are twenty-eight of us here. So ninety-six-and-a-half percent of us aren't killers!" she laughed. "And the other three-point-five percent-" she suddenly dropped to a somber tone-"we _will_ find you. Because we'll be holding interviews, starting tomorrow. So rest up, my pretties, 'cause we'll be doing this in alphabetical order, and you wouldn't want to fall asleep during an interview."

"And, well, good night."

As everyone dispersed to their rooms, the smile returned to Feiss's face. Turning to Dr. Artunian, she exclaimed, "Thanks for helping us with this whole operation, Cassandra."

As the sadistic frown made its appearance once again, she added, "We'll be starting with you."

**:::::**

**Hey, finally! I'm done! And I just pretended to throw up! Yay.**

**Anyway, tell me what you thought and all that junk.**

**See ya!**


	71. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part IV

**Hey, guys. Here we are at part four of chapter seven…woohoo. Yeah, I'm tired, so things will inevitably sound, not surprisingly, more tired in the first few parts of this part. Yeah, I couldn't think of a reasonable synonym (bun), so I used part twice. Got a problem? No you don't.**

**I don't own Mario; let's start.**

**:::::**

Feiss led the inspectors back to their room and told them all to sit down. "Would any of you like something to drink before we begin?" she asked rather sedately.

"Sure," Mario and Marrifi replied at the same time. "Thanks."

Feiss returned with glasses of coffee (why they were _glasses_ Mario would never know) and sat herself. The room was quiet for a moment before Feiss began speaking again. "So I've made out a sort of a list of common sense rules and ideas. They're just things we should all know and remember to make these interviews as short and efficient as possible. You know, a few pointers. Like, let's see…We should probably get everyone to give us a handwriting sample."

"Why would we do that?" Mario asked curiously.

"You read the paper," Feiss answered disdainfully. "Remember? The paper with the whole 'did you get your present' thing on it? You're not too bright, are you."

"Right…" Mario said as memory dawned on him. "Of course. We need to match somebody's handwriting with what's on the paper."

"Figure that out all on your own?" Feiss asked with half-closed eyes.

"Which reminds me," Mario continued. "Do we still have that paper? That girl you called Craff T. took it from me, and…wait, it could still be on the floor downstairs, couldn't it?"

"Nope, I made sure to pick it up," Feiss replied with a smirk, producing the small scrap of paper from her pocket. "So…on to number two on my list. We'll have to figure out a system of how we're going to go about the guests. You think we should go in alphabetical order? That's the only logical answer to me."

"Was there a specific guest list?" Mario asked. "We could follow that."  
Feiss stared at him. "No, there wasn't a guest list. There are only guest lists in mystery movies and books, and this-" She indicated a large circle around her with her hands- "happens not to be a movie _or_ a book."

"Sorry I brought it up," Mario mumbled. "We'll go with your idea."

"Of course we will," Feiss answered proudly. "So number three…Oh yes. We should also make sure to prepare a big long list of everything that happened during dinner, you think so? Obviously somebody messed with something during dinner, and we'll need personal accounts of who went where and what happened when through the course of dinner. And I guess we should have them start…around fourth course. That's the earliest I think anything could have gone wrong. If we can figure that out, we'll have a much better time of this. Duss, Marrifi, you can make up a list as we go along, correct?"

"Sure, Feiss," the two officers replied at the same time.

"Now…" Feiss began pacing about the living room. "We're dealing with a very pretentious killer here. One that is both elusive and self-confident, as evidenced by his or her blatant expression of happy wishes and hopes that Tess's birthday party went well. And there's the whole 'did you get your present' problem. This could mean that whatever killed Tess had to do with her present…but then that could have been a sudden surge of irony in our murderer, a desire to make a little joke as Tess was breathing her last breaths.

"And to number five on my list. These are just a few minor things on how to treat our guests. First of all, respect of course. We can't abuse our interviewees. If they don't tell us anything, just coax it out of them. Everyone responds when you're kind. And if they don't, never press them on a subject. Just give up and talk about something else. Of course, we'll need to use different methods of coaxing with different people. Like with some of our more self-important guests, we'll need to play their vanity to our advantage-tell them how good they look and how nice they are and all that. Or if somebody's particularly shy, we'll need to comfort them as best we can. Understand?"

"Sure thing," Marrifi answered.

"Definitely," Duss added in.

_The two of them are like Feiss's puppets,_ Mario thought. _All they do is agree and say whatever she wants us to._ "Understood," the plumber said.

"This is so crazy…" the Toadette mumbled. "Tess being dead, I mean. And I hate that it's making everybody so frustrated. I was scared when everyone was all throwing things and arguing, but I was sad too. Don't you know what I mean? It's just disheartening."

"Of course," Marrifi agreed.

"Definitely," Duss chimed in.

"Yeah, sure," Mario answered, though he was gazing off towards the balcony at the other end of the living room.

"Thanks for the enthusiasm, it really makes me feel better," Feiss said bitterly, standing up. "_Anyway_, this reminds me of other friends that I used to have. Like Holly. She was a good friend of mine. She was young, but she was _gorgeous_ at the piano. She was doing things like Debussy from memory by the time she was five. It was beautiful. Ironically enough, she was the only talented person she knew. Her parents couldn't play to save their lives, and her friends-myself included-are just bad. But she was just wonderful at it.

"And one day some nutcase came to her house and set it on fire. Her parents made it out, but she slept on the second floor and never made it down. There wasn't anything left of her when the fire was out. And you know what's so horrible? You know what, don't answer. What was so horrible was that _none of us cared_. I mean, her parents were inconsolable, of course-they'd lost a daughter and a prodigy-but her friends-again, myself included-were absolutely apathetic."

"I bet you were," Mario interrupted.

"Excuse me, I was talking, idiot," Feiss yelled. "Do you have a problem with that? Then shut it."

Mario felt guilty but scared as she continued. "Then there was Zack. He was the funniest guy you'd ever have met. And he was smart, too. He could fix anything, and he wrote novels. Isn't that cool? But he lived life fast. One day he up and decided he was going to climb. And so I asked him what mountain, and he said something weird like he always did…It was something like, 'Any one as long as it takes me to where I want to be.' Yeah, something like that. And…well, he never came back.

"Oh! And we can't forget about Noelle. Noelle was…a dramatic imperialist. She was vain, but she was also very polite and kind-maybe to a self-satisfying degree, but nonetheless, she was fun. And funny enough, her interest in impressing others was what got her. She starred in a play about a candle-maker, and her character was supposed to jump off the stage onto a rope that had a hook on the end, and she was good at jumping, so they used a real hook. And, on the night of the first performance…well, the hook was facing the wrong way. It was horrid.

"And there were also my pets. Oh, I sure loved them. One of them was a Persian, completely white with the bluest eyes you've ever seen. She was so adorable. Her name was Velvet, and she was _very_ very old. Somewhere around fifteen. And she was so very precocious. Like…she would open the door for herself on a regular basis. And if she wanted me to pet her, she'd get up on the couch to where I _just_ couldn't reach her. And I'd tell her that if she wanted me to pet her, she'd have to move. If she was in a good mood-which, by the way, Velvet seldom was-she'd move herself towards me. But if she wasn't, she'd stare at me with those eyes of hers until I moved over myself. Very smart cat, she was.

"The other was this Border Collie, an Australian red. Her name was Ginger, and she was the sweetest thing since cherry pie. She loved everyone, and she always greeted guests all special, and it was just all so nice. And she and Velvet were always playing and having fun and everything. Ginger was only three, but Velvet was always faster. But one day, like four months ago, Velvet got herself run over when she and Ginger were running down the street. Ginger followed her the next week. The vet said Ginger died of a bad heart, but I know better. She had a healthy and kind heart; I think she just couldn't live without her best friend. You know what I mean?"

"Whoa. That's such a beautiful story, Feiss," Marrifi said after a few moments.

"I've never heard anything that sad," Duss agreed.

Mario, on the other hand, was still angry at Feiss's lashing out at him multiple. "So when are we starting the interviews?" he asked with a glare.

"What time is it?" Marrifi asked in response.

"Half after ten," Duss replied, glancing at the clock.

Feiss stared, shocked and heartbroken, at him. "I guess we'll just start tomorrow," she replied, trying to look and sound like she wasn't going to cry and failing pathetically.

Everybody said good night to each other, with the pointed exception of Mario and Feiss, and Marrifi set up everyone's beds. Mario was still quite angry, but almost less so now that the argument had somewhat subsided. Still, a single thought kept running through his head:

Mario-1, Feiss-0.

**:::::**

The next morning, Mario thought he was the first to wake. He trudged to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee to find Feiss in the kitchen with a saucepan on the stove. "Hi, Mario," she greeted him coolly.

"Hello. What are you making?" Mario asked.

"Hot chocolate," she replied. Mario had a strong feeling he was talking to Luigi for a moment, but shrugged it off.

"So wait…what did you put in it?" Mario asked, staring over her shoulder. The mixture looked much more liquid than Luigi's, and much darker.

"Just water and cocoa powder?" Feiss replied as though she were asking a question.

"I think you need more than that," Mario told her, picking up the container of powder she'd used. "That was unsweetened cocoa powder."

"Well, how was I supposed to know that it wouldn't work for hot chocolate?" Feiss demanded defensively.

"Why would an unsweetened powder be used for a sweet drink?" Mario asked impatiently. "Maybe you should get a cookbook."

"And maybe you should get a nose that fits your face," Feiss retorted. Neither of them spoke after that, but they both had the same thought:

Mario-1, Feiss-1.

But after that, Marrifi and Duss dashed into the kitchen. "Is something wrong?" the Koopa asked accusingly, staring at Mario and Feiss.

"Nothing at all, let's just get to the stupid interviews," the Toadette replied with a death glare at Mario before running out the door. Mario sighed.

So the group began down the halls with Feiss's room list and made their way to Room 72. Mario knocked lightly on the door and heard Feiss utter a "tih" of contempt. The door opened shortly to the small Lava Bubble who had assisted them so recently.

"Hello," she greeted them. "I suppose you're here for the interview."

"Correct," Feiss replied, inviting herself in. Dr. Artunian stared after her.

"Come in, I suppose," she told the other inspectors. Mario, Marrifi, and Duss followed her inside. "Sit down, please," the Lava Bubble added.

After the gang had obeyed, Cassandra breathed heavily. "So you just have to ask me questions, right?"

"Right," Feiss confirmed. "But first, we'll…hmm. Can you write, or is that-"

"Oh, that's not a problem," Dr. Artunian assured her, floating towards a coffee table. "I have special fireproof pens."

_These weird rich people,_ Mario thought.

"Good. Then we'd like you to write your name and address on this paper here," the Toadette explained, sliding a leaf of paper towards Dr. Artunian.

"Sure thing." After a few moments, the Lava Bubble sat up and looked expectantly at Feiss. The paper read:

_Cassandra Astell Artunian_

_890 Geraldfield_

"Great, thank you," Feiss acknowledged her. "Now, all we have to do is put to you a few simple inquiries about the events of last night. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Dr. Artunian replied with what Mario decided was a smile.

"Okay, first, are there any important suggestions you have towards the case?" Feiss asked.

"Meaning?"

"By this I mean I want to know your thoughts personally on the case. What do you think has happened? Besides what you told us on your autopsy, of course."

"Um…" Cassandra looked reluctant to respond. "I haven't thought of much more than what I told you. We decided that somebody murdered Tess, and it wasn't by conventional means. That's…all I have."

"Really? Well, that's too bad," Feiss answered. "You're sure you haven't gained…I don't know…suspicions?"

Dr. Artunian looked rather frightened at this question. "Oh…I don't know," she replied. "I guess possibly if you want me to, but I wouldn't want to give out names."

"I promise you, we would never give away your ideas to other guests," Feiss said hastily.

"Well, then…" The Lava Bubble's eyes gleamed for a split second before the calmness returned. "If you're sure, then I should say I don't like those foreign people."

"Charlotte and Acuzio?" Feiss asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Yes," Dr. Artunian replied. "They're just odd to me. I don't mean to sound prejudiced and like the only reason I don't like them is because they're not from here. I just think they're strange and mysterious."

"You think so?" Mario cut in. "Charlotte I agree with, but Acuzio was very loud and-ahem-obnoxious to me."

Feiss rolled her eyes as Cassandra stared at the floor. "Maybe you're right."

"No, go on," Mario assured her. She smiled again and continued.

"And I suppose I could say that Toad couple is a little off," she explained. "I'm not really sure…"

"Who, Regali and Acuie?" Mario asked confusedly. Artunian nodded (sort of). "Interesting. I wouldn't think of that. Why do you suspect them?"

"I don't know, it's just an idea," Artunian answered. "Sorry, I don't have much of a reason."

"Now, Dr. Artunian…" Mario said with a low voice. "You have a very professional job, correct?"

"You could say that."

"But I've come to realize that not a lot of Tess's other friends besides you actually share that trait," the plumber continued.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Dr. Artunian replied. "We're all important in our own way, right? But again, you could say that not too many of them do real work."

"You could even say-" Mario chose this moment to give Cassandra a questioning glance- "that Tess herself held a rather unprofessional occupation. Would you agree?"

Artunian stared with the utmost fright at him. "Oh, maybe, but you-you know, I would never-Tess-Tess was my friend, you know? I would never judge-what is that supposed to mean? Do you-"

"Please calm down, Cassandra," Feiss cut in quietly. "He doesn't mean anything like that, _do you Mario?_" She glared deathly at Mario once again and he smiled.

"Of course not, doctor," the plumber told her. He figured that the fact that she'd freaked out was probably a good sign that she was at least a little less guilty. "I'm so sorry it came across like that."

"That's fine," Feiss replied. "Now that we've got that done, we'd like you to give us your best description of what you did last night. This is just so we can get to know the case better. Please don't leave anything out. Oh, and…start from fourth course please. Preferably the end of fourth course, by the way."

"Okay then," Artunian agreed. "Around that time…I'd say I was leaving to my room. I just wanted to take a walk before the next course, because those chairs are kind of uncomfortable."

"I agree," Feiss replied. "And did you see anyone or anything interesting?"

"No one," Artunian answered.

"And you returned before fifth course started, right?" Feiss asked.

"Right."

"And was there anything else you did for the rest of the meal?"

"No, sorry."

"So there's nothing else you feel you should inform us about?" Feiss asked, looking up from her notepad.

"No, actually," Cassandra replied. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help to you."

"No, you were fine," Mario assured her. "An absolute charm. Thank you."

Feiss looked insulted as the Lava Bubble appeared to blush. "No problem. I'm glad I could help the case along."

The group saw themselves out and back into the halls. Feiss instructed Marrifi and Duss to go back to the room and then wheeled on Mario.

"Do you take _pride_ in cutting deep holes through my work?" she demanded. Mario was surprised; as mean-spirited and cold as she had been to him thus far, she hadn't yet actually yelled at him until now. "Would you tell me? Do you _enjoy_ make me look stupid?"

"I wouldn't know," Mario answered. "_I_ haven't been making you look dumb. You have."

"Mario, you make me sick," Feiss said with a sneer. "I don't know what I did to deserve such a rotten assistant."

"Assistant?" Mario repeated. "I don't think you know the first thing about inspecting."

"Oh, I know plenty about crime and murder," Feiss told him with narrowed, hateful eyes. "Let me tell you, Snow is the _only_ thing that's making me keep you here. Now I'm going to go get Marrifi and Duss. Don't wait up, Mister Prince."

Mario stared after her as she stormed down the stairs.

**:::::**

**There we go. Sorry I took so long, but I just couldn't find time to do this. Hope you liked it. Tell me what you thought, please! AH VALYOO YOH OPEENYEEN!**

**See ya!**


	72. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part V

**Hello, people. Here we are at part five of chapter seven, where we're going to get very interesting…Anyway, I don't own Mario, but I'm anxious to get started, so **_**I'll**_** shut up and you'll just read. Let's go.**

**:::::**

Feiss and the officers disappeared after that whole incident. Mario searched the whole building for them but they weren't in any of the rooms. Eventually he gave up and made his way back to the dining room, where things were still in quite an upset state. He realized he still felt guilty about the way he had acted towards Feiss, but she was just very rude.

He sighed, both inwardly and out, looking around the dining hall, but nobody was here. With the room as upturned as it was, and the cool air that blew in from most of the windows, it was actually rather eerie, even thought it was still relatively early in the morning. Mario sat cross-legged and put his chin in his hands, thinking about what to do. If he'd had his partners with him, it might have been better. He wished a moment would just come where he could figure everything out.

"And exactly where have you been?" He never had time to think, and the moment never arrived, interrupted by Feiss's voice drifting sharply down the stairs.

Mario wondered if he'd ever seen somebody jump from the lotus position to a stand. At least, not in overalls he hadn't, and Lady Luck didn't shine on him, deciding she would rather see him tumble down the stairs.

"Oh, Mario, are you okay?" Marrifi cried, dashing down to help him. Feiss snorted.

"Considering I didn't hear anything crack, I think I'm fine," Mario replied, accepting the Koopa girl's helping hand. "Thanks a whole lot, Feiss."

"No thanks needed," Feiss answered with a smirk. "Now if you'd like to join us, that'll be fine. If you'd like to not join us…that would also be very fine."

"I'll be coming along, thanks," Mario told her.

"Then we've got to hurry, because we have interviews in spades," Marrifi reminded the two.

"And diamonds, and clubs, and hearts, and the rest of those jokers," Duss chuckled.

"We're aces, I tell ya!" Marrifi laughed. The two then laughed together.

"That wasn't very funny," Feiss scolded them.

Marrifi and Duss quieted down and stared at the floor. "Sorry, Feiss," Duss said softly. Feiss smiled.

"Now, as our resident _numbskulls_ so kindly reminded us," the Toadette continued, "we have many more interviews we have to get done before long. Does anybody have the desperate urge to eat breakfast?"

"I don't know, maybe," Marrifi answered.

"Sort of," Duss agreed.

"Great, then we'll start the interviews. According to my list, our next interviews are with…Charlotte and Acuzio Augustine. Room 112."

"Oh joy."

"I didn't ask your opinion, Mario," she chided him as they walked down the halls.

"I'm sorry, Feiss," Mario said mockingly. The Toadette nursed a headache.

"How exactly are we going to get through this interview?" Marrifi demanded. "We don't have a translator on us."

"Same way we would if we _did_ have a translator," Feiss replied sorely. "By waving our arms around in animated fashions. That _always_ does it."

Before too long, the group reached Room 112. Feiss put her finger on the doorbell and held it there until the door opened. Charlotte stood there with her eyes wide.

"Euh…Bonjour, les inspecteurs," she greeted them. Feiss smiled as the Koopa girl beckoned them to come inside."

"Charlotte, quisnam est procul ianua?" Acuzio called.

"Ce sont les inspecteurs, Acuzio," Charlotte replied. "Je suppose qu'ils sont ici de nous demander du meurtre."

"I have no idea what you guys are saying, but let's get this show on the road," Feiss ordered, strangely enthused. "May we sit?" she asked, gesturing towards a chair. Acuzio looked at Charlotte.

"Je pense qu'elle demande s'ils peuvent s'asseoir," Charlotte explained. Acuzio blinked a few times and nodded at Feiss.

"Good, because my back hurts like you have no idea," Duss complained. Charlotte and Acuzio stared helplessly at him.

"Now…" Feiss began. "I'd like you to write your names here." To show an example, she wrote her full name, Feiss T. Namora, and her own address, on the current page of the notebook, and gave it to the couple. The Augustines looked carefully at it for several moments before realization seemed to dawn on Acuzio's face. He scribbled on it for a few seconds and handed it to Charlotte. She nodded and scribbled as well:

_Acuzio Nerces Augustine_

_Charlotte Elise Augustine_

_12.4 Pupa Vicus_

"Great! Thank you," Feiss exclaimed, clapping her hands. Acuzio raised an eyebrow. "Now we have to…oh, this is going to be difficult."

"What did I tell you," Mario asked, though it was more of a statement. "How are we going to do this?"

"Uh…well, we could…I'm stumped," Feiss sighed.

Suddenly Charlotte snapped her fingers. "Nous pouvons utiliser un dictionnaire de traducteur!" she beamed, rushing towards a bookshelf and retrieving two old, leathery books from it. She returned to the table and dropped the books in Feiss's lap. Feiss gasped in pain and glared at Charlotte, but the Koopa girl was skipping back to her seat.

Eventually the plan to use the dictionaries was agreed upon. It took quite a while to look up words and even longer to string them into sentences, but at least the conversation could proceed. In complete English (though of course the inspectors had to speak French and Latin), it went as follows:

"What do you think of the case?" Feiss asked. "Do you have any ideas that may work towards it?"

"We do not know many of…what would that be…Tess's? Yes, Tess's friends other-sorry, other friends, so we could not say," Acuzio explained.

"I personally am suspicious of those Dope Opera persons," Charlotte added. "They appear to be very sure of them-or is that themselves? Yes, themselves. I would not wonder if they had worked together to commit a murder."

"Interesting," Feiss murmured. "And do you have any further comments on the case?"

"No," Acuzio replied. "Other than we are very shocked and…depressed about the death of Tess. She was such a dear friend."

"I understand," Feiss answered. "Now, could you tell us about what you did last night? We want to know how you spent dinner. Start from fourth course, if you would."

"Agreed," Acuzio replied. "At that hour…Charlotte and I departed for our room. Incidentally, we met you, Feiss, as we were walking."

The Toadette blinked pointedly but then nodded.

"We stayed in our room speaking to each other for the rest of the meal; we do not care for desert foods," Acuzio continued. "But of course we did make it back in time to watch Tess open her gifts."

At this statement Acuzio and Charlotte lowered their heads. "This entire situation has been a large shock to us both," Charlotte commented. "I can not believe what happened."

"It truly is depressing," Feiss agreed. "But I promise we can find out who did this."

"I hope so," Acuzio said.

"And you didn't do anything for the rest of the meal?" Mario asked.

"Correct," Acuzio confirmed. "Is there anything else you wish to ask us?"

"Not that I can think of," Feiss replied, writing a few notes in her pad. Mario sighed and wrote in his as well. "Thank you for your time."

"I only hope the case goes well for you," Charlotte told them. "Good day."

The Augustines then saw their guests out of the suite. Feiss breathed a sigh of relief. "That took _way_ too long," she whined. Brightening up, she continued, "But that's okay. We only have twenty-five people left on the list, and four of them are us, so just twenty-one. That's not too bad, right?"

"I suppose not," Marrifi agreed.

"Yeah, we'll be done in no time," Duss added.

"Next on the list is our own…Orville Baradaeo." Feiss stifled a yawn.

"Why Orville?" Marrifi groaned.

"Can't we just skip him?" Duss asked.

"What's wrong with Orville Whatever-you-said-his-last-name-was?" Mario asked confusedly.

"He's boring," Marrifi whispered loudly.

"He's not boring, he's just past the eccentric rich person stage," Feiss told her. "And now he tends to be a bit lazy and rude. And we're interviewing him."

"Oh fine. Have it your way," Marrifi gave in, pouting.

"I will, thanks."

**:::::**

Soon the party arrived at Room 143, which Feiss had told them belonged to Orville. Mario knocked on the door. After almost a half a minute, a pale green Shy Guy with several gold bracelets, a bronze belt, and an upturned collar with rubies set into the frame of the neck opened the door. "Hey. What do you want?" he asked slowly and tiredly. "I was going to go to bed, but you knocked. So make this quick, old man."

"Oh great, he's in a good mood," Feiss told Mario, and she actually sounded serious.

"We're just here to ask you a few questions," Mario explained.

"Yay. Random people I don't know and don't want to are coming into my hotel room to say random things to me," Orville sighed. "What could be more fun? _Sarcasm._"

"Oh boy," Mario whispered as the gang invited themselves in. Orville rolled his eyes, as though it was taking them hours to get inside.

"Just sit down anywhere," he ordered. The inspectors obeyed.

"Now, first we'll need your name and address on this paper," Feiss explained, handing him the notebook. Orville sighed exaggeratedly at the thought of doing work and took the book:

_Orville Cache Baradaeo_

_220 Nivel Avenue_

"Orville, if you don't mind, we want your opinion on the case. If there's anything about it you want to tell us from your point of view, fire away," Feiss requested.

"Okay, people, a person died," Orville said bitterly. "So what? People die all the time. Do you not realize that? Sure, Tess was important, but why do we make such a fuss over the fact that she died? Why does she need a whole team of worthless inspectors running around to try and find out what happened? Does some poor guy who only knows a wealthy socialite through his little sister get a team of detective when his sister dies? No, of course he doesn't, because even though she was murdered too, she's not important enough. Only rich, fancy bimbos like Tess get _that._"

"Wow, he's in a _really_ good mood today," Feiss whispered. Talking normally, she continued. "I understand your point completely, Orville. Is there anything else?"

"What else is there to say?" Orville asked quietly with almost-closed eyes. "Just ask me whatever junk you're going to ask so you can get out."

"I see…" Feiss sighed. "All we need is a thorough explanation of your actions last night. Just tell us what you did. Then we'll leave."

"Fine," Orville sniffed. "But it's not that interesting. I stayed at the table for all of dinner-"

"If I recall, you fell asleep halfway through the meal," Duss deadpanned.

"Shut up. Anyway, I was at the table the whole time, so there isn't much to tell. But…I did notice that Kenneth weirdo and his sisters being all secretive. I don't know, they just talked and talked to each other but not to anyone else," Orville continued. "Any questions?"

"Just one," Mario replied. "Who's Kenneth?"

Feiss smacked her forehead. Orville stared at him for a moment. "Any _intelligent_ questions?"

"No, that'll be fine," Feiss answered. "This was very helpful. Thank you, Orville."

"Yeah, whatever," Orville sighed, looking away from the inspectors. "Thanks to you too, I guess. Whatever the case may have been with Nelly, I hope yours goes well. See ya."

"Will do." Feiss stood and smiled at the Shy Guy. "We'll leave if you wish."

"Fine, if you want." Orville looked almost relieved. "You know where the door is…I'm gonna get some sleep…"

"That was interesting," Mario mumbled as the gang left the suite. "He _is_ kind of rude."

"Yeah, well, we're done with him," Feiss assured them. "Next on the list is…Noah Carlisle."

"That English girl?" Duss asked.

"Of course the English girl, do you know another Noah?" Feiss muttered. "She's in Room 430. Let's go."

Soon the gang arrived at said room and Feiss rang the bell. Presently the door opened to a small Crayzee Dayzee in a black smock and a large amount of red eye shadow. "Hallo?" she said stiffly with a very British accent and a high voice.

"Hey, Noah," Feiss greeted her back. "We're just here for an interview."

"Well, that's well and good," Noah told them, turning and walking away. Realizing the inspectors were still in the doorway, she turned around again. "Were you planning on doing the interview in here or in the hallway?"

"Oh, sorry," Feiss said quietly. "I didn't know you wanted us to, um…"

Noah sighed. "Rebecca says that inspectors and police never wait to be invited in. They get to let themselves inside because they have important legal business."

"Rebecca? What the-" Mario began.

"Anywise, I'll make tea if you like. What kind do you prefer? I have a lot of Lady Grey, I hope that's good. I also have quite a bit of honey if you want. And if you want lemon I have that too," Noah explained.

"That sounds nice," Mario agreed. "Do you have milk?"

Noah stared at him for almost ten seconds before blinking. "Rebecca says you never put milk in Lady Grey. Haven't you ever had tea before?"

"Suffice to say, tea isn't that popular in Brooklyn," Mario replied spitefully.

"_And let's get on with the interview!_" Feiss laughed nervously. Noah pursed her lips and nodded. Before she joined them she started a kettle of water.

As everybody sat down, Feiss held up her all-powerful notebook. "Noah, if you would, please write your full name and address in this notebook," she requested.

Noah furrowed her eyebrows. "Do you have a pencil?"

"A pen," Feiss answered.

"Rebecca says you should always use a pencil in case you have to erase," Noah said disapprovingly.

"Well, I'm sorry, but all we have is a pen," Feiss told her, sounding tired, shoving the pen and notebook in her face. Noah sighed dramatically and took them and began writing:

_Noah Ashley Carlisle_

_426 Hanengem_

"Great, thank you," Feiss acknowledged her. "Now that we have that out of the way, I'd like you to give us your opinion on the case."

"Meaning?"

"We just want to know what you think," Feiss explained further.

"Well, I haven't thought about it too much," Noah replied. "But if you want to know, I don't like Sophie Meyers. Not at all."

"Who's-" Mario whispered to Feiss, but was immediately shushed.

"Why don't you like her?" Feiss asked curiously.

"She's so glad about everything, and she just seems to me the type who would do Tess in and know she could get away with it. I've heard that she was always jealous of Tess because she was so wealthy. And the two didn't get along well anyway. Sophie's very impulsive, I know."

"Interesting," Feiss murmured. "Anything else?"

"Well, yes," Noah agreed. "I have something for you in your inspections."

She moved towards a table and picked up a small silvery-green length of ribbon. She walked back to the sofa and handed it to Feiss. "I found this on the table today. I don't know what it was there for."

"You don't have any clothing this may go to?" Feiss asked, eyeing the ribbon carefully.

"I've never owned such a ribbon," Noah answered defiantly. "Rebecca says that is a positively hideous color."

"I understand." Feiss breathed out a long breath. "Thank you for this. We will be able to find out whom this belonged to soon. Now, if there's nothing else you have on the case, we'd like you to tell us what you did last night. Just a description of your actions to help us find out more on the case. Start from the fourth course of dinner and stop at the end of the meal."

"If I must," Noah answered with an unreadable expression. "At that time, I suppose I was here in my room. I have medicine I take and I had to have a dose around that time."

"If I recall, we met in the halls," Duss interrupted.

"We sure did," Noah agreed with a trace of annoyance in her voice. "I also saw Teratre Quaset just standing there, and Dimitri Pearson making his way down the other end of the hall as I was passing. But neither of them witnessed me, I believe. I then realized I was walking in the wrong direction and turned."

"Interesting," Feiss said with a hint of a smile. "What would say about that encounter?"

"What would I say?" Noah repeated. "That Teratre Quaset has always been rather absent-minded. I wonder if I have any ideas on his and Dimitri's innocence, because I know neither of them is exactly stable…"

"Well, let's say, to be charitable, that one of them _is_ a suspect, but nothing more," Feiss explained, sounding very appealing and sweet.

"Rebecca says being charitable is vastly overrated," Noah complained.

"We _don't care_ what Rebecca says," Mario cut in bitterly. Noah looked stunned but told Feiss to continue.

"What would you say about an accomplice to one of those two?" Feiss asked, leaning forward. Mario stared at her with increasing confusion.

"What do you mean an accomplice?" Noah demanded. "I really don't know what you're getting at-"

"Do you have any thoughts as to a motive for Dimitri or Teratre?" Feiss interrupted her, her eyes narrowed.

"Are you suggesting that I should be able to figure out why Tess was murdered?" Noah cried. "I really haven't the faintest clue!"

"Of course," Feiss replied, sitting regularly again. "I'm sorry to make you uncomfortable."

"I hope so," Noah snapped.

"Well, I suppose if there's nothing else you want to tell us, then we're done here," Marrifi decided.

"Again, I apologize for troubling you like that," Feiss said with a half-smile.

"That's okay," Noah sighed. "Even if I don't understand what it was for, I'm sure as an inspector you have to make inquiries like that."

"Thanks for your time," Feiss called over her shoulder, opening the door to leave the suite. The other three followed.

"Do you mind my asking what that was all about?" Mario asked. "You know, that whole questioning thing about the accomplice?"

"Just a precaution," Feiss answered. "The ringleader always has to take precautions."

**:::::**

**There we go. How do you like it so far? I hope you're liking it, because I know I love writing this chapter.**

**By the way, for some reason, I can't stop listening to the songs "Still Alive" by Ellen McLain and "Shake it Up" by Selena Gomez. I think I may be obsessed…**

**But I don't care!**

**See ya!**


	73. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part VI

**Hey gaiz. I know gaiz isn't a word, which's why I used it. DON'T BE CUTTING IN ON MEH GROOVES!**

**Look at me still talking when there's science to do, When I look out there, it makes me GlaD I'm not you, I've experiments to run, There is research to be done, on the people who are still alive…**

**Yeah, I love that song, but I don't own it, unfortunately. Anyway, I don't own Mario, so let's get this show on the road!**

**:::::**

"I'm glad we have _her_ over with," Marrifi said with a smile in Feiss's direction. "I wonder sometimes whether that girl is all right in the head."

Feiss eyed her with a conspicuously disagreeable expression. "Noah's a really good friend of mine," she protested.

"Of course, I don't know what I was thinking," Marrifi chuckled nervously.

Getting bored of the conversation, Mario cut in. "Okay, so who's next on our list?" the plumber asked, peering over Feiss's shoulder.

"Uh…" Feiss skimmed down the list. "Next, we have to interview Cassidy."

"Are you kidding me?" Mario asked in monotone.

"What do you have against Sid?" Feiss asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"What _don't _I have against Sid?" Mario retorted.

"She's not that rude," Feiss sighed.

"She is too!" Mario complained (because the author would not allow Super Mario to whine). "She's a self-absorbed, egotistic brat."

"Whatever you say," Feiss snorted. "And now that you've expressed your delightfully ever-present opinion, I'm going to assert my delightfully ever-present ignorance of your obnoxious attitude. Cassidy's in Room 24. Let's go."

"Feiss, I seriously question your ability to listen to people," Mario said sorely.

"Ignoring!" Feiss chuckled. "Don't you love how our system works?"

"But Room 24 is four floors down!" Marrifi whined.

"Are you complaining?"

"No ma'am."

As the gang made their way down the hallowed halls, Duss piped up disappointedly. "I completely forgot, but did you notice we didn't actually get any tea?"

"I despise tea," Feiss muttered.

"Oh, yeah…Me too," Duss mumbled.

Mario bit his lip to prevent himself from speaking. The gang turned a corner and Feiss began swaying from side to side.

"What are you dancing to?" Marrifi asked.

"Dancing is pathetic," Feiss told her. "I'm swaying because I feel like it."

"Sorry," Marrifi said quietly.

The inspectors neared the staircase from floor two to floor one. Mario exhaled slowly and turned towards Feiss.

"So what, are you some kind of role model or something?" he asked, arms crossed and head bowed.

"…What?"

"You're just trying to shape Marrifi and Duss in your image," Mario clarified, looking up.

"I have _no_ idea what you're talking about," Feiss told him, filing her fingernails.

"No, you know exactly what I'm saying," Mario argued.

"Mario, I don't mean to interrupt, but we really don't mind…" Marrifi cut in. "It's not like Feiss is ever rude to us…"

Completely ignoring her, Mario continued. "I hate to say this, Feiss, because I normally consider myself to be a rather open-minded person, but I think it's really stupid when you try to shove your thoughts down other people's throats. Call me a nut, but I really think you should stop assuming your supposed authority all over the population of the mansion."

"Okay, like, seriously, I think you're being ridiculous-" Feiss began.

"Are you physically capable of shutting your mouth for more than ten seconds?" Mario demanded. Feiss stared at him.

"I'm…going to the suite," she mumbled before dashing down the stairs. Marrifi and Duss turned slowly on Mario with similarly annoyed expressions on their faces.

"Are you serious?" Duss asked.

"I'm sorry, Mario, but that was just rude," Marrifi said with half-closed eyes.

Mario stared in awe at the officers. _Why did I expect anything different?_ he asked himself. _Why did I think that any good deed could possibly go unpunished?_

Blowing out a breath of frustration, he trudged down the stairs, Marrifi and Duss following him. He cast a sideways glare at the officers, but they didn't seem to notice.

As the three neared Room 100, Mario sighed. _I suppose I have to apologize to her,_ he thought disgustedly. He couldn't be sure what Feiss what say if he tried, but it was worth a shot-and the relief from guilt.

He knocked gingerly on the door, and glanced over his shoulder to see Marrifi massaging her own head and Duss scratching his neck. The door opened and Feiss stood there with a blank look on her face. "What do you want?" she asked in a low voice.

"Well, I feel really terrible about what I just said," Mario replied.

"Good," Feiss said.

"And I wanted to come and apologize about it," Mario explained

"About what?"

"You know…what I said earlier," Mario told her.

Feiss stared silently at him for a moment. "Well, give it your best shot, then," she answered.

"I'm really sorry for insulting you like that…" Mario said awkwardly. "I, uh, shouldn't have said what I did. I'm sorry for everything-that we've gotten off to such a bad start and all that. I don't blame you or anything."

"Nice," Feiss chuckled with a half-smile. "I'm sorry too."

Other apologies probably would have been made afterwards, but at that very moment the phone began to ring. The inspectors all turned slowly towards it. "That's odd…" Duss murmured. "Because I didn't think you could call individual rooms from other individual rooms."

Mario approached the phone and picked up the receiver. "Put it on speaker," Feiss requested. He pressed said button.

"Good evening, inspectors," greeted an entirely nondescript voice that sounded not only unfamiliar but oddly synthesized. "I guess you guys aren't as smart as I thought, because it should be quite obvious to you at this point just who I am. How unfortunate. Try harder? I do love a chase. Or maybe…you're just in the wrong line of work. Maybe that will get you motivated. Goodbye!"

Mario had been frozen in confusion until the last word, when he suddenly cried, "Wait, who are you?" But the other line suddenly hung up with an abrupt _click_.

"Redial the number," Feiss ordered. "See if we can't trace the call." Mario hit the redial button, but after a few quiet rings, a robotic voice came on:

"_We're sorry, the number you are trying to reach either you are not authorized to reach or does not exist. Please obtain further information from an operator or obtain authorization from a telephone moderator."_

"What?" Feiss demanded. "What just happened? How can someone call us and disconnect their own phone number immediately afterwards…"

She growled in frustration, slamming her palms down on the table next to the phone. "What time is it, guys?" she asked.

"Four exactly," Duss replied.

"Oy, let's just call it a day for now," Feiss decided. "We'll get to Cassidy tomorrow."

"I'm sorry that happened, Feiss," Mario said with a frown. "It really is confusing."

"Yeah, well…" Feiss trailed off quietly. "Confusion isn't exactly new to detectives. It's always present in a case like this one. You know what I mean, right? You can never be too careful. Sure, I suspect some of Tess's friends more than others, but it isn't like you can cross anybody off the list. I mean, if we ever decide a single person is our killer, we already have twenty-nine other people that we've acquitted as suspects, and one of _them_ could actually be the right answer. And then what do we have? We have one person-assuming, as we have been, that only one person conspired to kill Tess-who's suddenly scot-free of being punished for killing the great Tess T. Keys. And we have one person who's being accused for a crime he or she didn't commit."

She turned towards the others. "And I don't want to do that to somebody-I mean, do you? I want to make sure we really catch who did this, because the person who killed Tess should really be punished."

There was a pause before she added abruptly, "And it should really hurt."

**:::::**

"Wake up, guys!" Feiss called from down the hall. Mario stirred and sat up. Yesterday had been so interesting, he thought. Three of the interviewees he had known before the interview, and the next one he knew as well. He wondered how long Feiss would allow them to get awake and ready before she would force the team to begin.

"Hurry up guys, we're having breakfast and then we're leaving!" Feiss shouted. Apparently not very long.

Suffice to say, Feiss was an excellent cook. The eggs and bacon Mario quickly shoved in his mouth were quiet delicious, but Feiss seemed very impatient for everybody to finish, finishing herself ten minutes before everybody else and the tapping of her fingers on the table becoming louder with each passing minute.

When at last everyone was finished eating, Feiss looked relieved. "Okay, Cassidy's first," she announced. "And luckily it's just one floor down," she added with a smile at Marrifi.

So the quartet quickly made their way down to Room 24, where Feiss rang the doorbell and yawned. Shortly afterwards, the door opened to the familiar pink Goomba. "Oh, hey, Feiss," she greeted them. "Interesting to see _you_ here."

"We're just here for your interview," Feiss said brightly. Cassidy nodded and beckoned them into the suite.

"So what exactly do you need me for?" the Goomba asked, trotting off to the kitchen. "I have an appointment with Artunian in a half an hour, so this needs to be quick."

"_Dr._ Artunian," Mario muttered under his breath.

"Just asking a few questions about the murder," Feiss answered with a small grin. "This won't take long, I'm sure."

"I'll get us drinks," Cassidy explained, returning shortly with glasses of some black liquid Mario couldn't identify.

"What's that?" Mario asked.

"Just one of those European espresso martini," Cassidy said plainly, as though it was obvious. "It's just one ounce of vanilla Stoli vodka, a splash of Fra Angelica, a cup of crushed ice, an ounce of Spanish rum, a cup of sugar, three cups of strawberries, lemon juice, and chocolate shavings to garnish. Not that complicated."

"Sure…yeah, I understand…" Mario said with a confused look on his face.

"So what's first?" the Goomba asked, handing everyone a glass.

"First, I'll just need you to write your full name and address on this paper here," Feiss told her, forking over the notebook. Cassidy didn't waste time penning her name down:

_Cassidy Maria Caw_

_777 Suerte Street_

"Very good, thank you," Feiss said with a genuinely warm smile, taking the book back. "Now we just have a few questions to ask about two nights ago. First and foremost, your opinion on the case, please? We just need to know what you think and anything you want to tell us."

"Okay…" Cassidy stretched out the word. "There isn't much I have to say, besides of course it's quite a shock…"

"Well, what did you think about the victim and what happened?" Feiss asked.

"Tess?" Cassidy said with a suddenly wide-eyed stare. "Mind of a toy. I hate to say it, but even though she was pretty nice to everyone, she was stupid. I think the only really great thing about her was that she was so rich. You know, I always wondered how she made her will."

Feiss's eyes shot up. Mario wouldn't have been surprised if she had flown through the roof. "Really?" she asked, scribbling furiously on her notepad but not taking her eyes off Cassidy.

"Yeah…" Cassidy confirmed, gazing slightly upwards. "I mean, I _was_ one of her best friends. I wonder if she gave me lot-it's not like she didn't have a lot to give, right? Then again…I also wonder if she actually made one. A will, I mean."

"It's entirely possible that Tess died intestate," Feiss said slowly, sitting up straight. "In which case, her lawyers would have to settle what went to whom."

"What about her father?" Cassidy asked confusedly.

"She's emancipated," Feiss replied.

"Her sister?"

"Vanny committed suicide a year ago," Feiss told her.

"Did she have any other family members?"

"They got themselves to be legally unrelated to Tess and Sossia," Feiss explained.

"Sossia?" Mario asked.

"Her dad."

"They're a very charming family, aren't they?" Mario muttered.

"Well, assuming there's nothing else you'd like to tell us-" Feiss paused and waited until Cassidy shook her head-"we'd like you to give us a thorough description of your actions two nights ago, starting from fourth course, and ending at-well, you know," Feiss instructed.

"I see…" Cassidy trailed off. "Again, there isn't much to tell. I stayed at the table for most of the meal. Only I left after fourth course ended-I was stuffed and I didn't want desert, but I knew that if I got a desert menu I'd order something anyway. There wasn't a lot of traffic in the halls, thank goodness. By the time I arrived back, dinner was almost over, but the seat next to me was empty. Funny thing."

"And who sat next to you?" Mario asked.

"I think-" Cassidy suddenly cut herself off. "I think…I don't know…That's weird, I don't think I ever even noticed!" She laughed for a moment. "I'm sorry about that. I just have no idea."

"That's fine," Feiss assured her. "Is there anything else you feel the need to mention?"

"No," Cassidy replied. "I'm just glad to be of help."

"You've sure been of help," Feiss answered. Mario wasn't sure what it was, but he felt he heard a touch of excitement in her tone, but it was a slightly smug excitement. He shrugged of the thought; he was tired anyway.

Cassidy saw the inspectors out of the suite. Everyone looked at Feiss for what to do next, but for several moments she just stared at the floor. Suddenly she snapped back to attention. "Right, sorry," she said awkwardly. "Now let's see…next we have Carter."

"Oh, he's always fun!" Marrifi giggled. Mario stared at her.

"You can't be serious," he murmured, but she just nodded.

"Is there a problem?" Feiss asked with a tired look on her face.

"No, I guess not," Mario sighed.

"Well, let's go then," Feiss ordered. "Carter's staying at Room 178. Come on, guys!"

So the gang made the short trip up a floor to Room 178. Mario rapped on the door, and before long, the door opened to the all-too-familiar Doogan. "Hello, inspectors!" he greeted them loudly. "Here for the interview, I assume? Well, that's all good, please come in!"

He stepped out the doorway to allow the group to enter, ushering them in with both golden-bracelet-covered arms. Mario chuckled at the sight of the bracelets-Carter wore approximately seven on each arm and nothing else anywhere on his arms or hands. "Sit anywhere," he told them. "Would any of you like a slice of nonalcoholic, non-sodium, vegetarian, low-fat, cheeseless cheesecake?"

"That sounds absolutely disgusting," Duss cried.

Carter looked extremely offended. "Fine, have it your way. But let me tell you, it's really good and really healthy. But then again, I'm sure so are fried earthworms, but I wouldn't touch those. Have any of you ever had bugs? I know they're really popular in Asia and places like that, and not just because those people tend to be starving, because that's a stereotype-Asian countries are actually pretty prosperous. Or that's what _I've_ read. Speaking of which, have you ever been to Russia? Queen Victoria's granddaughter married their king. Or whatever they call him. Oh, while I'm on that, have you ever been on Ferris Airlines?"

"Interview time!" Feiss cut him off. "Carter, please sit down."

"Okay, that's cool, but first, would you guys like some orange vanilla bread pudding?" Carter asked.

"That sounds delightful, Carter," Feiss replied, "but it sounds pretty rich, I don't know that we could eat it. Now if you'd please sit down-"

"That's fine, but first would you like a velvet apple chestnut tart?" Carter persisted. "The point is I would like to make you lunch."

"Why would you want to do that?" Mario asked cautiously.

"Because I'm hungry, dang it, and I don't want to eat if you're not," Carter answered angrily.

Feiss stared at him for several seconds before caving. "Fine, we'll take that tart thingy."

The Doogan returned quickly with beautiful-looking pastries and finally obeyed Feiss's original command. "Okay, what do you need me to tell you?"

"First," Feiss began, passing the notebook across the table, "we would like you to write your full name and address here."

"Okay, I can do that," Carter agreed, lazily scribbling for a moment before handing the book back:

_Carter Ivan Derekson_

_67 Talon Street_

"Thank you very much, Carter," Feiss acknowledged him, staring at the words. "I don't mean to rude, but I can't read this…"

"Oh, that's fine, not many people can," Carter replied understandingly. "The middle name is Ivan, I-V-A-N, and the address is Talon Street, spelled T-A-L-O-N. Good?"

"Yeah, great," Feiss half-sighed, half-yawned.

"That's good," Carter said with a smile. "It's true though, people tell me all the time that I have the worst handwriting. Like at the bank, when I was setting up my account, the lady at the front desk told me my writing was completely illegible, and then I got mad and told her I didn't have to stand there and listen to her tell me I couldn't write and she got all sore about it and so I stormed out of there because she was being so rude and-" Carter suddenly quit speaking and began cackling.

"Was there supposed to be a joke there…?" Feiss asked.

"I love the word 'stormed'!" Carter laughed. "It's such a great word. It reminds me of rain, which I really love because rain reminds me of that day my sister took me to see a fortune teller just for the heck of it, and she-the fortune teller-told me that 'I would soon be blessed with great fortune' and later that day I found something like two hundred coins just lying on the ground! Isn't that great?"

"If you don't mind, I'd like us to stay on the subject of the interview," Feiss told him, her patience visibly draining. "Now, Carter, if it's all right, we'd like your opinion on the case. Do you have anything you'd like to say before we start on the night of the murder?"

"Not really," Carter replied. "Although…if I may, I'd like to state an opinion against the Dofters. I don't know why, but I just think they're very self-concentrated and they really draw attention…and in my opinion, they seemed to be really nice and caring, which-don't take my word, but I've heard-is unusual for them. I don't know, they just seem careless enough to kill Tess."

"Careless enough to be murderers?" Mario repeated confusedly.

"I just mean they looked like they were to hide something and they weren't doing well…" Carter explained. "Just what I think, though."

"Interesting you would say that," Feiss said with a grin. "They _were_ two of Tess's best friends in the world. Thanks for sharing your ideas, though…" She then blinked a few times, closing and opening her eyes at a glacial pace. "Now Carter, if you would, we'd like a thorough description of your actions the night of the murder. And if at all possible…" she stared straight at the Doogan, "try to stay on the subject."

"Uh, sure," Carter answered uncertainly. "From…?"

"Fourth course, if you don't mind."

"Yeah, 'kay," Carter agreed. "Nothing much happened on my front around then, but after the entrees were over, I think I…left to take a little walk. I like walking because it makes you less tired, you know? Anyway, as I was walking, I came upon our own Aviare. She was talking with the Quasets, about what I don't know. Aviare asked what time it was…or it could have been Cerafina, I don't know. But either way, I said it was…ten o'clock? A quarter to? I honestly don't remember, but it was around that time."

"You said what time it was?" Feiss repeated. Carter only nodded.

"Well, continue then," Feiss instructed impatiently.

"Okay, then," Carter answered. "I didn't do anything else for the rest of the meal, but after, I guess it was all downhill, right?" He attempted to laugh, but there were clearly tears in his eyes.

"It's okay, Carter," Mario assured him. "We'll find who did this, no matter how long it takes."

"That's great," Carter sniffed. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No, that will be all," Feiss told him, standing back up and advancing towards the door. "Have a nice day, Carter."

"You too."

As the inspectors left the suite, Feiss sighed and hung her head. "This is taking longer that I had thought," she murmured.

"Well, don't you always get more than you bargained for when it comes to inspecting?" Mario asked.

"Yes, but you don't know the half of what was going on with Tess," Feiss informed him, staring at the ceiling.

"What do you mean by that?" Mario persisted.

"You know how you made that sarcastic remark about how Tess's family was a…'charming' one?" Feiss said softly. "Well, you weren't that far off."

**:::::**

**And done! I'm sorry I made you wait so long, but I couldn't write for like a week 'cause I was at my dad's. Sorry guys.**

**But tell me what you thought and I'll get back, hopefully soon, with the next chapter.**

**Just to clear a few things up, Suerte is Spanish for Luck. And I actually described the recipe for a Fra Stoli margarita, not an espresso martini. (Both are disgusting in my opinion-the virgin blends, anyway.)**

**See ya!**


	74. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part VII

**So here we are. Part…seven of chapter seven. I think that's it, anyway. I'm far too sick to remember anything.**

**But enough of **_**my**_** personal life! Let's get straight to your own instant gratification! Right? Right. 'Kay.**

**No wait first I have to say something. If you look at the last chapter, you'll notice I've changed Feiss's last name from Namora to Mia. It was a mess-up on my part originally, and there is significance to this change that I screwed up before.**

**So yeah let's go.**

**:::::**

Marrifi and Duss stared at Feiss for a few seconds. "Well okay then!" Marrifi chuckled nervously.

"You know what was odd?" Mario asked. "He wasn't wearing a watch."

"I noticed the same thing," Feiss agreed, taking out her notebook.

"How about we get to the next person on the list?" Duss suggested.

"Sure…" Feiss replied, looking back up and beginning to walk down the hall while the others followed. "Next on our agenda, we have…the Dofters. Acuie and Regali."

"Are we _ever_ going to stop interviewing people I already know?" Mario demanded.

"Probably not," Feiss called over her shoulder without missing a beat.

"Feiss, I was also wondering," Mario continued. "When this day of inspecting is over, do you think I could go see my friends? I haven't seen them in almost two days now, and I think it would be nice to talk to them for a little while."

"Yes, that's wonderful, Mario," Feiss muttered. Mario could tell just from those words that this was going to be another boring argument. "However do you know what happens when you start talking and having friends with you and blah blah blah happy joy? It's all fine at first. But then you get lazy and bored and 'I don't want to work in this case anymore' and it works for any kind of work you're doing. You get lazy and stop being productive and then you're just another head to count at the end of the day and you're not putting forth any effort and do you know what that does to us? That means there's one more person to dote over and one less to help dote. And then everything falls apart at the seams just because _you're_ a two-bit, can't-hack-it little dork! And that will not be happening with this crew, you hear? You will stick with us until we have interviewed every person in this mansion if I have to tie you to a tree stump so help you yak!"

Everybody else in the group stared at her for several seconds before she breathed out a long breath. "So where were we?" she said with a smile. "Oh right. The Dofters. Room 205. Let's hit the road."

Mario followed the other three cautiously. _What in the world is going on?_ he thought. _Everything here is so weird. But then I guess I should get used to it if I'm going to be around these types of people._

But then he wondered if he still _wanted_ to be around these types of people. Reluctantly he continued walking behind the others. "Hey, Feiss, what time is it?" Mario asked.

"About noon," Feiss growled. "Why? Do you have some…prior commitment? Some little visit or convention? Or-I know! You're getting a rhinoplasty aren't you?"

"Pardon…?" Mario asked hopelessly.

"Nose job," Feiss said loudly, right into Mario's face. As Mario stared at her, she chuckled in a high-pitched voice. "Freakshow ain't so dumb anymore, ain't she?"

"I actually wanted to know _exactly_ what time it is," Mario told her sharply.

"Eleven fifty-two," Feiss said haughtily. "You happy?"

"Yup."

"Then let's just go," Feiss commanded, shaking slightly. Mario glared at her for a moment before sighing.

"Good idea," the plumber agreed. "Dofters, right?"

Feiss smiled slightly, breathing out slowly. "Dofters, right."

Finally, the group made it to Room 205 for the next interview. Mario grimaced and rang the doorbell. Feiss then banged on the door a few times.

Regali answered the door. "_Someone's_ eager to get this over with, aren't they?" she said with an amused expression. She was wearing a tangerine-colored party dress with violet spots identical to the one she'd worn at dinner. Suddenly assuming a worried face, she cried, "Wait, it's not because you don't want to see us, is it? Tell me it's not that. It's that isn't it? Acuie, come here!"

"Regali!" Feiss barked. "It's not that we don't want to see you!"

"What terrifying thing happened this time, Regali?" Acuie asked tiredly. His face once again displayed no emotion whatsoever.

"They want to see us!" Regali said happily. Acuie stared at her for several seconds before retreating into the kitchen.

"Sit wherever you like," he ordered. The inspectors did so.

"You decorated this place way cool," Marrifi commented. Mario had to agree. Vinyl stars hung from the ceiling on virtually invisible strings. Around the fireplace were set various jewels placed in intricately carved cases. A large white coffee table lay in the middle of the room, and the living room carpet was checkered black and white.

"Very fancy," Duss concurred.

"Well, we _we're_ going to be hosting people here, but then Tess had to go and die…but thanks, guys!" Regali gushed.

"If you're done obsessing over our hotel suite, we'll get started," Acuie said, rather loudly.

"Well then," Mario muttered, sitting in a small armchair. "I guess we're done obsessing over your suite then."

Regali stared between the two of them. "Oh, Acuie, _do_ be kind to our guests," she requested. "So. What do you need us to do first?" she continued, addressing the inspectors.

As everyone else sat down, Feiss took out her notebook. "First, we need you to write down your names and address here."

"Why do you need those?" Regali demanded, suddenly paranoid.

"Just a precaution we take," Feiss assured her irritably.

"Oh. 'Kay." Regali took the notebook and scribbled her name inside before tossing the notebook at Acuie. The Toad did the same before handing the book back to Feiss:

_Regali T. Dofter_

_Acuie T. Dofter_

"Thank you," Feiss acknowledged them, looking carefully over the notebook. "And now…a few questions."

Acuie stared at her expressionlessly before nodding. "What might these questions be?" he asked.

"Well first, we'd like to know if you have any opinion on the case," Feiss explained. "Anything you'd like to say? About Tess? About the people here?"

Regali cocked her head to the side. "Well I don't think I would answer that, you know? Because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, especially Tess's, you know? Because somebody could learn that I was accusing them of something and then they would get angry and I don't want that to happen-" Her tone suddenly went worried and miserable- "because my feelings and I bruise like a summer peach!"

"I've noticed that," Duss said with an incredibly fake smile.

"We won't tell anybody what you say," Mario told her, quite annoyed at this point. He noticed that was becoming a trend with these people.

"Well then…" Acuie squinted slightly. "I should say I don't like that Cassidy woman. She's so full of herself, like she thinks nothing is good enough for her. I can't explain it better, but I just think she's cold and mean-spirited enough to do something like…well."

"And the Quasets really creep me out, you know?" Regali added. "Like, they were gone for a long time during dinner. I think they were collaborating to figure out some kind of way to off Tess like that. I hear weird stories about them. Like they practice voodoo and those things like that. And they live in some strange far away place. Like Singapore or something."

"She's gotten _way_ dumb since I saw her last," Mario whispered to Feiss.

"No, she's smart," Feiss told him. "Just…an airhead."

"You know, Tess was really special to all of us," Regali continued, looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. "She had so many friends, and I really can't imagine who would make a victim like this out of her. Besides I guess the Quasets and Cassidy like we said. But still, she was such a wonderful person."

"I see," Mario answered.

"She was always a sweet person, but sometimes she could be a bit…controlling I guess. At least, that's what I've heard. Acuie and I haven't been friends with her for as long as some of the others. And she had her own special crew. That was…her, Feiss, Craff, and Snow. They were best friends. I suppose she didn't get along well with other people when she was younger. But she was smart sometimes, like two nights ago was actually her sixteenth birthday but she was in eleventh grade. Or she should have been. She actually went to X Alternative School, and then Doe Finishing."

Mario blinked a few times. "Wait. What was that?" he asked her.

"Are you deaf?" Feiss demanded. "She said Tess went to X Alternative and Doe Finishing."

"That's just…interesting, that's all," Mario replied. "How did she get from an alternative school to a charm school?"

"She fixed herself up so some weirdo would propose to her," Regali explained with a smirk.

"Yeah, and that weirdo proposed to me two weeks before," Feiss said with an identical but mocking smirk. After her face brightened up a little, she added, "But we're getting off the subject. Now, Acuie, Regali, if we're done with your opinions and thoughts, we'd like you to give a thorough description of your actions the night of the murder. Don't leave anything out, we just need to know how you spent dinner. Start from fourth course, if you would."

"Sure thing," Regali agreed. "By then, I think…what was it? Oh right, Acuie and I were going to our room, because we needed a breather from all the loudness and all that, because I got into a fight with one of Tess's friends-"

"Because of the whole gravy fiasco," Acuie reminded her.

"No, it _wasn't_ the gravy fiasco, I told you that eleven times," Regali said. "…Even if that had something to do with it."

"Yeah, it had something to do with it, but remember it wasn't actually her-"

"But remember, it was also that Honeybun just wouldn't shut up," Regali added.

"And then we had the pencil shavings," Acuie recalled.

"But she ate those remember?" Regali asked.

"And then she started talking to you when everything was finished." Acuie nodded slightly. "Well actually before that, but you know. And you got into that fight but Tess didn't know because-"

"You hushed us both, isn't that right?" Regali interrupted him. "And you whirled me off to our room. I know who it was, you know. Well actually that's a lie, I'm not really sure who, I actually hardly noticed what she looked like while we were arguing, because I've never met a single person in my life who weighed less than me, and so Acuie suggested we come here."

"And then you said you really didn't care where we went as long as we were as far away from her as possible," Acuie continued. "And then you said something about razzle-dazzle potatoes and I knew you were way past drunk."

"Hey, in my defense, I was really tired, and I figured it would keep me awake."

"And what would possess you to think that?" Acuie chuckled.

"Did you know?" Feiss interrupted in a sarcastically cheerful tone. "We are _still_ sitting on your chairs!"

Regali stared at her. "Oh, so you are," she mumbled. "Sorry we forgot about you. We were just…yeah, you know."

"Could you possibly explain that again and speak to _us_?" Mario requested. Regali nodded.

"So we were just dining and minding our business," Acuie began, "when suddenly some weird friend of Tess's of whose name we are still unaware starts chatting with Regali."

"And honestly, I am _so_ not in the mood to talk because my chair is rickety and uncomfortable," Regali continued.

"So this weird friend of Tess's is really annoying Regali and me as well," Acuie explained.

"And I find out that she only weighs twenty pounds but I weigh twenty-five," Regali added. "And then she gets gravy all over us, and I'm like, 'how the heck can somebody who eats gravy weigh less than me?'-but like in my head."

"But remember, she wasn't the one with the gravy, it was the person next to her," Acuie reminded her. "And so we decided we should leave, but then Honeybun started acting funny…probably because of the gravy."

"And Honeybun is…?" Mario prompted.

"Our rabbit."

"You brought your…never mind," Mario cut himself off. "Continue."

"And then we had the appetizers and we were going to leave-" Regali began.

"But instead you decided to make your own cute little scene about my friends and me," Mario cut in, glaring deathly at her.

"Yes, well…" Regali paused then continued her story as though Mario hadn't spoken. "I had this little bag of pencil shavings that I tore open somehow," said Regali. "And for some reason, Honeybun decided those tasted great and ate the entire bag. And then the two of us-that friend and me-got into a little spat, and Acuie took us both here. And we were here for the remainder of dinner, weren't we, Acuie? Yes, we were, because I don't eat dessert. Then again, I don't really eat period-"

"That's great, Regali," Feiss interrupted. "And…did you meet anybody on your way here?"

"Nope, no one," Regali answered. "Besides whoever that was I argued with, and you know…Tess…it was a pretty lovely evening."

"Yeah, besides that," Duss muttered under his breath.

"Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?" Feiss asked.

"I don't-think so…" Regali replied, looking at Acuie, who only shook his head.

"Then have a nice day," Mario and Feiss said at the same time as the inspectors left the suite.

"You know, I like Regali, but after I talk to her, I feel like I need to take a nap," Marrifi mused once they were out.

"Now…" Feiss murmured. "Under normal circumstances, I suppose Kenneth and his freak sisters would be next, but I've decided to put the Dope Opera under D instead of O. Is everyone okay with that?"

"I have no objection," Duss agreed.

"I don' care," Marrifi said.

"Sure," Mario finished. "I'd actually like to meet these people."

"Great. They're in Room…412. Just up the stairs. Let's go," Feiss ordered.

So after a relatively short jaunt down up two floors the group arrived at the door. Feiss knocked at the door, which almost immediately opened.

"Are you ready for-" the entire Dope Opera began, but stopped abruptly.

"It's just the dang inspectors," the sky-blue Bob-bomb muttered, her shoes making a soft thud as she hopped off the other Bob-bomb. The Koopa girl stormed out of the room, accompanied by the Cleft. "Get in here then."

"Like, oh my gosh, can we get you some drinks?" the deep blue Bob-bomb asked in an almost amusingly effeminate voice. "We, like, have everything."

"That's good, thanks," Feiss replied. "May we sit?"

"Yeah, sure…" the Lakitu confirmed lazily. "Just set yourself down anywhere."

"Jeez, people, what does it take to get a decent hairbrush around here?" the Koopa demanded snobbishly, trying to brush her hair and failing. "And if at all possible, I'd like to get this over with as soon as-no wait, I'm terribly sorry."

"Trixi, come on, he he, it's not like we're gonna 'splode here," the Bub-ulb laughed with wide eyes. "He ha ho…and stuff and…wait, no I need to calm down. Patience, Phoenix…"

"What's wrong with these people?" Mario demanded.

"Um…they're performers?" Feiss guessed.

"Whatever," the sky-blue Bob-bomb muttered. "Just…wait, please don't listen to-"

"Let's just get started," Trixi said, her eyes twitching. "I wish you didn't have to see us like this."

"What are you talking about?" Mario asked confusedly.

"You guys aren't telling anybody anything, are you?" yelled the Cleft as he trotted back down the hall into the grand room.

"But Prince, it's, like, totally-" the deep blue Bob-bomb began.

"I don't care what it's like totally, Dominique," Prince interrupted him. "Nobody gets to know nothing."

"I'm done with this," Mario decided, heading for the door.

"_No, stay!_" Trixi cried, yanking on his collar. "Please, Prince, let us tell them!"

"Ugh…" Prince sighed. "Sit down, then."

"Oh, _may we?_" Mario muttered, taking a seat.

"See, we're a little performing group of our own, of course," the Spike Top began serenely.

"And one day ol' Princey here decided we should get different attitudes," the Lakitu explained.

"So he makes us act exactly the opposite of our real personalities," Trixi said, still with her arms crossed and her lips pursed.

"I don't either make you," Prince protested. "I suggest it."

"He makes us," the sky-blue Bob-bomb argued, nodding.

"Shut up, Dominique," Prince ordered.

"Wait, I thought _he_ was Dominique," Mario cut in, pointing to the deep blue Bob-bomb.

"They both are," Prince clarified.

"We're cousins," the sky-blue Dominique explained.

"'Cept Prince decided…he he…that he could just stay the way he is to make it easier for himself," the Bub-ulb continued.

"No," Prince said angrily. "It's so we have seven stereotypical personalities!"

"You jus' keep telling yourself that, Princey," the Lakitu sighed.

"Well, if we could get the interview started-" Feiss began.

"Of course, that will be fine," the Spike Top agreed, her voice wavering slightly.

"Then if you will, please all of you write your names in this notebook," Feiss instructed, handing the notebook to Prince. Eventually, after much confusion (amongst quite a bit of idiocy) all of them got the names down:

_Prince Alan Dameon_

_Vincent Victor Valian_

_Dominique Eliot LeBeau_

_Dominique Eliotte LaBelle_

_Savannah Dean Hook_

_Trixibelle Louise Harvey_

_Phoenix Stuart Brighton_

"Great," Mario acknowledged them once the notebook made its way back to them. "Now who's who?"

"I'm Vincent," the Lakitu introduced himself, rushing towards some messy piles of discs and books and arranging them obsessively.

"I'm Savannah," the Spike Top explained with an edge to her voice.

"And I'm Phoenix," the Bub-ulb finished, sounding less insane at this point.

"Now wait…" Mario mused. "If you guys are just using fake personalities, then why are you still acting that way?"

"It, like, totally takes us, like, twenty minutes after every time we perform to stop talking like this," Dominique LeBeau gushed, making an effort to sound less enthused at this point.

"Wonderful," Feiss breathed out. "Shall we start then? If it's okay with you guys, we'd like your opinions on the case."

"Sure thing," Vincent confirmed. "We've all come to the same conclusion. We did come to the same conclusion, correct?"

"Yeah, we did, just tell them," Savannah ordered impatiently.

"Fine," Vincent conceded, still arranging stacks and piles. "Eventually we decided we suspect that Olsen person."

"You mean Craff?" Feiss asked worriedly.

"'Craff,' 'that Olsen person,' same difference," Dominique LaBelle chuckled sweetly.

"We just think she's a little…um…kooky?" Trixibelle suggested. "A bit gone."

"I see," Mario mumbled. "And how would you describe Craff T. otherwise?"

All seven performers looked between each other. "I, uh…dunno," Phoenix replied.

"Not much else to say," Vincent concurred.

"Besides being a little bit off, she's not the type of person you really notice," Dominique LeBeau explained impassively.

"That's what I thought," Mario murmured. "Continue."

"Well, like we just said, there isn't much to say," Savannah said irritably.

"It _is_ very sad, though," Prince added hastily. "I mean, Tess was such a wonderful person."

"I've heard."

"She played the piccolo, and the soprano saxophone, and the violin," Prince continued in a mockingly dainty tone.

"She was talented?" Mario asked dumbly.

"Well, duh," Dominique LeBeau answered. "Would we be friends with her if she hadn't been?"

"Point taken," Mario agreed.

"Now, we'd like you to give us a thorough description of your actions the night of the murder," Feiss requested. "Just how you spent dinner. You don't need to be too specific, just give your best memory. Start from fourth course please."

"What we did?" Trixi repeated.

"That might not exactly be easy," Phoenix told them. "Of course, there are the seven of us, and I don't think we were ever all actually at the table at the same time."

"He's right," Dominique LaBelle agreed. "So we might, like, be having to tell you the same story seven times."

Feiss stared at them for several seconds. "So be it," she sighed.

"So right after they started taking the entrée orders," Vincent began, "I decided to go to our room here, 'cause I wasn't particularly thirsty, and I figured I'd arrange our stuff in our separate bedrooms, since we hadn't done that quite yet. If I recall, I saw you, Feiss."

"Oh, right!" Feiss exclaimed with a chuckle. "I thought I saw you, but I didn't remember if it was you or not."

"Which is _so_ unlike you," Trixi laughed.

"Shut it. Anyway, I wasn't gone for more than a few minutes, but Dominique here came up-" he indicated LeBeau- "and asked if I was going to come back because they were going to start serving our meals soon. And I told him to hold his horses-"

"And I dragged you back here," LeBeau interrupted, "because I didn't want _my_ food to get cold either."

"I believe I was speaking," Vincent said, annoyed.

"Well, it'll go faster if we all give our explanations at the same time, I think," Prince instructed. Vincent pouted but shrugged.

"So while he was off on his weird errand," Trixi continued, "the waiters were just serving entrées."

She paused for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed as though she was trying to think of something.

"Something wrong?" Feiss asked.

"No…" Trixi decided uncertainly.

"Continue, then," Mario requested

"Sure," Prince agreed. "After that Vincent and Dominique got back here and Trixi said she had to change clothes-"

"Well, I did!" Trixi objected. "I'd been wearing that dress for more than forty minutes!"

"Oy ve, Trixi," Savannah muttered irritably. "I'd almost think you were allergic to wearing your clothes too long."

"Whatever," Trixi snapped. "Anyway, when I got back…Wait! That was it!"

"What are you on about now?" Dominique LeBeau demanded.

"I remembered what was wrong!" Trixi cried anxiously. "When I was changing my dress, I grabbed for my powder stuff to pretty my face up-"

"The talcum stuff?" Dominique LaBelle asked.

"Yeah, the talcum stuff, I guess," Trixi agreed. "And I couldn't find it. I looked everywhere, but it just wasn't there."

"What does the container to this talcum powder look like?" Mario asked.

"Well…" Trixi thought for a moment. "It's kinda pale blue-ish. It's from Rie and Leph T. It has a little gray-green ribbon around the neck of the cap. It's really very pretty."

"Interesting," Feiss said with a distant look on her face. "Go on then."

"So when I got back, which I don't how much later it was, but probably like fifty minutes-"

"She takes her sweet time changing," Phoenix whispered.

"-they were just getting done serving us our desert, but Prince was gone. Not sure exactly how I didn't catch him coming back…" Trixi finished.

"That's 'cause I was taking a walk-"

"That's incredibly popular with you rich people, isn't it," Mario mumbled.

"I was taking a walk around the halls…" Prince continued, "which I suppose took me around five minutes, because I didn't go very far. As I was getting back Savannah was leaving because…Wait, why were you leaving?"

"To take my medicine," Savannah reminded him with an irritated glance at him.

"Right, right…" Prince agreed, looking upwards in thought. "Would you like to go on then, Savannah?"

Savannah pursed her lips but nodded. "Of course. I went upstairs, and…well, I took medicine and went back down. Not much to the story. Tess was proposing a toast as I sat back down."

"I see." Feiss smiled at the entire group. "Thank you for all your help, guys. All of this will go towards our solving this case, I'm sure."

"No problem, Feiss," Prince assured her. "I'm just glad we could be-"

Never did he finish his welcoming statement. At that moment, a deafening crash could be heard from far below.

"Oh dear, what now," Feiss said quietly with a terrified expression.

**:::::**

**There we go! Sorry this took me so long, but I'm glad-_most of you-_stayed patient. Tell me what you thought, and I'll see you again next time!**

**See ya!**


	75. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part VIII

**Hey, peoples. It's me,**

**LORD FREDERIC!**

**Anyway…you know what you're reading, so let's get going!**

**:::::**

Everybody in the room froze in horror. Mario swallowed slowly repeatedly until he could speak. But as he was clearing his throat and opening his mouth at Feiss, Trixibelle decided to beat him to the obvious suggestion, but in a much less intelligent way:

"It might be just a hunch, but I think something bad just happened in the basement. Go check and see what it is?"

Feiss turned in an almost robotic fashion to face her. "_We were just about to do that!_" she growled with wide eyes in a frighteningly forceful tone. Trixi smiled.

"Oh good. I was worried I was the only smart one here."

"Oh, don't worry about _that_, dearie," Marrifi muttered as the quartet left the suite. The group walked slowly at first and then broke into a run all the way down the four flights to the lobby.

"Okay…" Mario looked around helplessly. "And _how_ exactly do we get to the basement from here?"

"I honestly don't know either," Feiss murmured. "The other only times I've ever been to Tess's house, I was either on strong expensive medication or legally blind." Mario stared at her. "You _don't_ want to know," she added.

"You know, mansions like this should come with a map," Duss grumbled.

"Hello!" called a sugary voice from the top of the stairs. The inspectors spun around simultaneously to see the speaker. Mario did a double take upon the sight of a small silver Bob-bomb waddling down towards them.

"J-Jovi?" Mario stuttered.

"Mister Mario?" she greeted him. "Fancy meeting you here."

It was much easier to look at her now; she wasn't wearing nearly as much make-up as she had been the last time Mario had seen her, and her warden-ish flight attendant outfit was replaced now with a simple red gown. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"Great, thanks," Feiss lied. "Except we can't find the basement."

"Oh, you're chasing after whatever that sound was," Jovi deducted. "Considering the volume of the crash, I'd suppose it must weigh at least fifty pounds. And the floor of the basement at the site of the crash has to be wooden. The basement's just down that hall, by the way." She indicated a lone side hallway at the left side of the lobby."

"Wait wait wait," Mario requested. "How did you figure that all out?"

"I took quite a few advanced physics and mathematics classes," Jovi answered. "May I join you to the basement? I was wondering about the crash as well."

Mario blinked a few times at her. "Uh…sure, I don't see why not. Feiss?"

"Yeah, whatevs," Feiss confirmed, already starting towards the hallway. Mario motioned for Jovi to follow as Marrifi and Duss started after her.

The hallway was relatively short, and soon the five of them reached an ominous-looking stairwell. The steps were gray and rotting, and the railing was mostly gone. But Mario and Feiss bravely led the group down into the very bottom floor.

The basement was very poorly lit by a collection of broken and dim light bulbs, which Mario supposed was to be expected. Most of the floor was made of steel that was nailed together and was quite loud when stepped upon, however Mario noticed by squinting a small section of the floor was of decaying wood.

"This place is scary," Marrifi mumbled, her voice shaking.

"This place is _cold,_" Duss added.

"We'll just keep our guard up," Feiss decided.

"You're here!" laughed a welcoming but menacing voice from somewhere above the group. No sooner had Mario realized he recognized the voice than a fairly tall figure crashed to the floor, grinning evilly at the group.

Marrifi and Duss shrieked and ran to a far corner of the room where they were difficult to see. Feiss whimpered and took a few steps back. Mario stared wide-eyed at the figure, knowing full well what exactly it was. Jovi on the other hand opted to study the figure closely.

"Judging from its small stature, it would have to have a density of at least 110, which would instantly crush it under its own weight. The shoes it wears appear to be incredibly weighty however…"

"You guessed it!" Blue Nightmare chuckled. "These shoes are the _Ultra Boots!_ This is pure iron, guys! Solid iron and leather soles!

"Now wait, why did I tell you what these are…Now you'll want them and stuff…"

"You bet I do," Mario agreed. "And I also want you out of here."

"We all _want_ things, Mario," Nightmare laughed. "But we don't _get_ them too often, do we?"

"I'm getting tired of you guys," Mario muttered. "Don't you ever learn that I'm just always stronger than you Dark Rainbow freaks?"

"Not with me in these Ultra Boots!" Nightmare gloated. "You just wait and see!"

So the fight commenced. Mario immediately realized that Blue Nightmare wasn't messing around. His battle tactics weren't much of a match for the boots, with which the undead "man" leaped into the air over and over again, always landing next to Mario but never on him. The ground would then shake intensely, knocking everybody to the ground. All the while, Nightmare cackled down at the plumber, who was actually slightly shorter than he was.

"Mario, you have to do _something_ to stop this thing!" Feiss shouted over the continuous crashing of parts of the ceiling and wall.

"I don't see you participating!" Mario retorted. "I don't have any better ideas, do you?"

Feiss shrugged hopelessly. Suddenly, a loud explosion sounded and everyone else cried out in fear. "What the heck?" Mario shouted.

As dust cleared, the plumber looked towards the source of the explosion and saw Jovi glaring up and Nightmare, who clutched his head in pain.

"Jovi!" Mario cried. "That was you?"

"Of course it was," the Bob-bomb replied. "I suppose that being a flight attendant would tend to throw one under the harsh stereotype of being weak and frail, but I have, as you may say, 'some fight in me.'"

"Whoa…" Mario gaped. "Well, would you-"

"Of course," Jovi agreed with what was probably a smile. The pair turned on Nightmare, who met their gaze in terror.

"Okay, guys, we might be able to settle this like civilized people…" he mumbled, before shaking his head. "What am I thinking? I've still got the Ultra Boots, you're going down!"

"Not if we have anything to say," Jovi argued as the two ran at him with everything they had. The Bob-bomb exploded again and again, while Mario struck Nightmare with his hammer whenever he had a chance. Nightmare was still on the offensive end however, and used every opportunity to hop back into the air and cause another earthquake.

Eventually, Mario figured Nightmare was getting more weary and weak. He was moving more slowly as he continued to take hits. As he stopped for a moment to breathe, Mario ran up to him and whacked him a final time, at which point he simply collapsed.

"Oh, so you still have it," he chuckled weakly. "I'm angry, trust me, but it's okay because you _still_ won't get to Troy. You can't know what he has planned."

With that, another bolt of black lightning shot out of nowhere and completely disintegrated him, leaving only the boots. "He's gone!" Marrifi pointed out the obvious.

"I-I…I, uh…" Feiss stammered. "I-well, I guess I gotta give you props, Mario. I can't believe you actually…you know, _killed_ that thing."  
"Is this you congratulating me?" Mario said with mock shock.

"Don't get used to it," Feiss deadpanned.

"Well, Mario, I'd say these belong to you now," Jovi told him, standing in front of the Ultra Boots. Mario examined them. Nightmare hadn't been kidding; they were made of pure iron with leather soles and rims.

"Amazing," Mario said in awe. "I guess they are, too. Thanks for all the help, Jovi. But I think you ought to get back to your room. I don't want you to get into any more danger."

"But that's the thing," Jovi protested. "I'd be honored if I could join you in the rest of your adventure."

Mario looked at Feiss, who rolled her eyes. "Your choice, moustache. You're the inspector, not me."

Looking back at the Bob-bomb, Mario answered, "I'd also be honored. Thank you for your help, and I'm sure you'll be a valuable addition to our team. Feiss, could I please just take her to Room 50 to be with the rest of my friends?"

Feiss gave an exaggeratedly exasperated sigh but conceded: "Fine, whatever. But you'd better meet us back in the lobby in twenty minutes."  
"Sure," Mario muttered, escorting Jovi upstairs. The other three followed closely with Feiss looking quite irritable.

Funny enough, Mario didn't much care at this point.

Down the first hallway and around a few turns, Mario reached Room 50, which he realized he had not yet entered. He knocked gingerly on the door. After a moment, it opened to Hattie. If anybody else had answered the door, Mario knew everything would go smoothly. But with Hattie the first to meet Jovi, the conversation went approximately as follows:

"Who the heck are you?" she demanded.

"Hattie, this is Jovi Senferi. She was a guest and the party, and she would like to join us," Mario explained forcefully.

Hattie smiled, and for a moment Mario thought she would be kind. But then she laughed-a stingy, uncaring laugh-and Jovi looked very hurt. "Her? With _us?_" she giggled. "As _if!_"

Looking straight at Jovi, she explained, "You couldn't be one of us. You look like a flight attendant or something."

Jovi, stared, mollified, at the Yoshi. It was right then that the others came to do whatever was their equivalent of saving the day.

Goomessa arrived first. Seeing Jovi looking like she was about to cry, she gasped and rushed to the doorway. Unfortunately the Goombette didn't know Jovi other than that she was the Bob-bomb from the plane. "Hey, you're the flight attendant girl!"

Hattie laughed raucously. Jovi wailed. "They hate me!" she cried.

"What's going on? I'm trying to get my beauty sleep!" Snow suddenly shouted groggily. Trudging across the room, she asked what was going on again.

"Okay, let's try this again," Mario sighed, noticing that his other partners were also approaching the source of commotion. "This here is Jovi. Most of you remember her from Ferris Airlines."

Koopetto, Snow, Fluzz, and Wishes nodded in comprehension. Goomessa stared at the floor in embarrassment.

"She's going to be staying with us when we leave this place," Mario continued. "Now, I'd like all of you to be kind to her. She's very nice."

Hattie rolled her eyes while Jazz introduced himself. Mario sighed again, this time in relief, and left for the lobby.

"You're tardy" were the first words he heard coming downstairs. He muttered an apology to Feiss as he approached the other inspectors.

"I just had trouble getting my friends to like Jovi, that's all," he explained.

"Yeah, great," Feiss replied uninterestedly. "Anyway, we should probably get started again. Of course, I would have _liked_ to have started already," she added with a glare at Mario.

"Well, we can get started now if you _like_," Mario replied mockingly.

"Actually, guys…it's almost six. Some of our interviewees are going to be having dinner and going to bed now," Duss told them.

"Wonderful…" Feiss said sarcastically. "Then I guess we'll turn in for the day too. We got four suites done today, so I guess we can stop."

So the group made their way back upstairs to Room 100. The inspectors entered and Feiss skipped off to a balcony. Curious, Mario followed her.

"How are you?" he asked, not thinking he would receive an answer but trying anyway.

"Whatever," she mumbled.

"Do you actually hate me?" Mario asked.

"And the boy guessed it. Quelle surprise," Feiss answered, still staring at the sky.

"Merci," Mario muttered.

"But no. I don't _hate_ you, per se, I have more of an intense, burning indifference towards you." Feiss turned around so she was leaning on the railing. "I just take justice in knowing that when this is all over, we can go our merry way and every interview brings the guests and us inspectors one step closer to never having to talk to each other again. So I just don't get attached to people. If I can pretend I don't care…then I guess I can convince myself that I really don't."

Mario blinked a few times. "Interesting philosophy," he admitted.

Feiss ignored him. "Eh, whatever. I just don't want people invading what little sanity is to be had in this world. Because I guess being normal is overrated in this time and age."

"What makes you say that?" Mario asked.

"Nothing," Feiss replied sharply. "A whole lot of nothing."

**:::::**

At seven the next morning, Feiss took the liberty of awakening the other inspectors. After breakfast, also courtesy of the Toadette, the interviewing recommenced. "Next on our list of interviewees…Geersons," Fiess explained. "Room 15. Let's get started."

Something about that sentence was very familiar to Mario, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't put his finger on what. Shrugging off the feeling, he followed the others upstairs and down the short walk to Room 15. Mario noticed this particular hallway was also not very well lit. He knocked gently on the door. A bird-like voice wafted out. "Come in! The door's unlocked!"  
The inspectors walked in. The suite was decorated all in white. After a moment, a Koopa girl walked out of a bedroom.

"Inspectors…? You-um, sit down," she requested. The gang did so, but Feiss stood and played with her hair. After a moment, Mario began.

"Okay miss, the first thing we need is for you-"

She suddenly lost it, breaking out in fear. "You're going to say it was me, aren't you? You are! But it wasn't me, I promise! I mean I know I was away from the table, but only twice! And I was talking to the Quasets! I never even knew Tess T. well, let alone had a reason to kill her! I was only invited to this party because I know my sister and she does business with Tess, so I was invited. But I still didn't know her well! And the Quasets will tell you the same thing if you ask them! And so will that Carter guy, 'cause we were talking next to Room 178, which is his room, and he came up on us at 9:43. I know it was 9:43 because Cerafina asked what time it was and he said so. But I promise it wasn't me, it wasn't! I-"

At this point the Koopa became completely unintelligible. Mario stopped her with a wave of his hand. She sniffled a few times and was silent.

"Miss, I wanted you to write your name and address."

She looked miserably up at him. "Okay, I can do that," she decided.

She scribbled in the notebook Feiss handed her for a moment and gave it back. Mario read it over:

_Aviare Jarvis Geerson_

_774 Destiny Drive_

Mario furrowed his eyebrows. The same feeling of déja vu he'd had earlier struck again. "Where have I heard that name…Geerson?"

"Well I have a brother named Kenneth and a sister named Sara. But Sara also goes by-" Aviare began. She was interrupted by the entrance of another Koopa girl into the room who was carrying a tray of cookies. She wore a pearl-dyed panther coat and a red scarf.

"Mame?" Mario finished incredulously.

"Hey, Sara," Aviare greeted her. "This is her. Sara Leah Geerson. But, uh…why did you say Mame?" she added suspiciously.

"…Because I've met her before," Mario explained.

"I've _never_ seen you in my life," Sara said with wide eyes. "But if you said Mame, then I suppose I have. Not with my mind of course, but you know."

"She's got multiple personality disorder," Aviare told them, pointing at her sister with her thumb. "It's a blessing and a curse."

"Now we just need Ken, I suppose," Sara decided, placing the tray on the white coffee table. "I'll get him-oh, you're here!"

She cut herself off as "Kenny", the Koopa they'd met right after Mame, entered from another bedroom. "Oh, the inspectors are here!" he exclaimed excitedly. "This will be fun!"

Feiss nursed a headache as Mario desperately forced himself not to simply implode. "Now, guys…" Mario began slowly. "I need the two of you to write your names here with Aviare's."

Sara and Kenneth quickly penned their named down and gave the notebook back with the page now reading:

_Aviare Jarvis Geerson_

_774 Destiny Drive_

_Sara Leah Geerson_

_Kenneth Matzel Geerson_

"Thank you," Mario sighed. "Now, if it's alright with you, we need your opinions on the case."

"Johnson, man," Aviare said immediately, slamming her hands down on the coffee table. "That man is bad luck."

"You couldn't pay me enough to go near that guy," Sara agreed.

"And while we're on the subject of Koopas, those Augustine people scare me," Ken continued. "I mean, I don't want to sound nationalist or anything, but just the way they only talk to each other-"

"Which in all probability might have to do with the fact that nobody else can understand them," Feiss broke in, annoyed.

"And the way they're always so low and secretive about themselves…I don't know, they're just odd."

"Yes, we're suspicious of members of our own species," Sara explained. "So I guess you could say we're like…cannibals. Of the law."

"Right…" Mario answered confusedly. "Okay. Now if it's okay, we need a description of all of your actions on the night of the murder. The way you spent dinner, starting from second course."

Feiss stared at him. "Second?" she whispered.

Mario nodded simply.

"Okay, then," Aviare conceded. "Well, as we were getting done with our appetizers, I left for this room to powder my face."

"Which route did you take here?"

Aviare thought for a moment. "I left for the main hall and turned left."

"I'm pretty sure it's the only way to get here," Sara agreed.

"Mario nodded. "Did you meet anyone as you walked?"

Aviare closed her eyes in thought. "I saw that Sophie girl. You know, light blue, short but skinny?"

Feiss nodded this time. "Well, I saw her," Aviare continued, "and she saw me, and we waved to each other and I went inside my room."

"You were right at the door when you saw her?" Mario asked.

"Yes, she was," Aviare confirmed. "She appeared from around the other corner as I was opening the door."

"And do you have any idea where she went?"

Aviare's shoulders sagged. Feiss finally sat down and joined the conversation still playing with her hair and chewing on some of it. "Did you happen to hear anything at the time you were inside? Anything?"

Aviare shook her head, looking quite uncomfortable at this point.

"You're absolutely sure?" Feiss persisted. Ken and Sara started tapping fingers and feet in impatience.

"Well…"

"Speak!" Feiss commanded.

"A rat kinda squeaked outside the bathroom, but when I came out to shoo him away he was gone."

"And was anyone else in your room besides you? That you know of?" Feiss added hastily.

"No one," Aviare answered.

"Well actually I came up to ask if you were coming back soon but then I figured you'd been down when you got down," Sara cut in.

"Did you leave the door open?" Aviare asked.

"No, I made completely sure to close it again," Sara answered.

Aviare stared at her for a moment. "That's bad…" she murmured. "Because when I left the bathroom, it was open!"

"Has anything strange happened since that night?" Mario asked, leaning forward.

"I was hoping you'd ask," Kenneth replied. "Because I used to keep a little bottle of moonstone powder on the coffee table because I got it as a nice souvenir from one of those big archeology museums, but it's gone now. When I came in after we had soup to change and saw it missing, I assumed I'd misplaced it somewhere, but after the murder happened-I don't know, I'm just having second thoughts about the innocence of its disappearance."

"And when was that?" Feiss asked.

"Funny you should ask, because I looked at the clock right then and it was a quarter to nine, or somewhere around then," Ken replied.

Mario looked at the floor for a moment. "Aviare, what happened after you did up your face?"

"I returned to the table just as they were serving soup, so it must have been about eight. Anyway, I was the first to finish of the three of us, and I left again because I realized I'd had my cell phone the whole time and it would be embarrassing to be turning it off during dinner, you know? I made it back to my room without any interruptions…and they were getting entrée orders as I got back," Aviare explained, taking a deep breath afterwards.

"Did you leave over the course of the rest of the meal?" Mario asked.

"Yes," Aviare answered quietly. "Around 9:30 I left, because I was way too full for dessert. I wandered around and met the Quasets. That was at 178, like I said. We chatted for a bit…and then Carter came along and we learned what time it was…and then we decided we should go down to see Tess open her gifts…and so we did."

"When did you retire?" Feiss asked.

"About half after eleven," Aviare replied.

"11:20 to be exact," Sara added. "I only left the table once to use the restroom, and I didn't see anybody around. So there's not much here to say about me."

"Same here, but I only left after they ended with soup, like I told you," Kenneth finished.

Mario smiled. "I guess that'll be all, then, guys," he told them. The Koopas smiled, glad to have been of service.

The group saw themselves out and Feiss spoke immediately. "That's it, don't you guys think? I think Sophie Meyers is our culprit."

"Wait," Mario cut her off. "First of all, how many times are you going to change your mind on who did it?"

"Oh, don't pretend you haven't been changing yours," Feiss argued.

"Well, I'm not so sure. I think-"

"Since when do I care what you think?" Feiss interrupted. "Let's look at the facts. Sophie and Aviare see each other in the hall. While Aviare is fixing herself up, a rat runs out of the living room. She comes out and the door is open even though Sara's previously made sure it was closed. Today a bottle-of something insignificant, mind you, but still a bottle-is missing. The murderer was in Aviare's room last night, and Sophie is the only person who can have entered that room! Don't you understand?"

"Sort of," Mario consented, "but Sophie isn't next on the list, I'm sure. There has to be at least _someone_ between G and M."

"Just one person," Feiss beamed. "Johnson. He's in Room 38. Let's go. I just love being a prosecutor."

"You're a _detective,_" Mario reminded her. "Marrifi and Duss are the closest things to prosecutors we have here."

"Eh," Feiss dismissed him as they walked down the hall.

**:::::**

**How did you like it? I hope this one was good.**

**And for the not-at-all-uncommon lack of things to say, I'll invent a plot device such as I'm tired so I don't have to keep blabbing!**

**See ya!**


	76. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part IX

**Hey, peoples. It's me, Freddy. Fredbert. Fredsonnickel. Or if your familiar with The Ouran High School Host Club (which I so wish I owned),**

**LORD FREDERIC!**

**I'm listening to Lady GaGa and am very unimpressed that they have her say "bit" instead of...well that with a ch at the end. Kind of irritating.**

**Anyway…you know what you're reading, and I don't own Mario or any of that stuff, so let's get going!**

**:::::**

The inspectors made their way to the door of Room 38 and Mario knocked. The door opened to an entirely nondescript Koopa in a sparkly beige tasseled jacket, white dress pants, and completely opaque black sunglasses with orange rims. "Hey," he greeted them with a fast Floridan accent. "Get in here then, let's do this thing."

Mario stared after him for a moment before following him in the suite. It was decorated in a way Mario could only describe as "tasteful". There were fur rugs all over the place, beaded curtains over all of the windows, several ripped brown handbags on the many coffee tables, and posters with various famous people on the walls. "Take a seat wheresever you likes," he instructed, walking slowly to the kitchen. "What's ya want to drink?" he asked.

"Just water," Feiss answered.

The Koopa returned with bottled water for everybody. Mario noticed it was lemon-flavored. "So…What's you gotta ask me?" he asked.

"Well, first we'd like you to write your name and address here in this notebook." Feiss handed him the book. He raised an eyebrow at the page before nodding and writing the name:

_Perry Shaidz Johnson_

_6000 Maple Street_

"Your _real_ name, if you will," Feiss told him.

"Wait a minute," Mario cut in. "_You're_ Perry Johnson? The one who collects all those things?"

"That's me," Perry confirmed, taking off his sunglasses, examining them, and replacing them with identical ones, except with blue rims. "Gimme the notebook then."

Feiss rolled her eyes and gave the book back for Perry to write in:

_Perry Johnson_

_6000 Maple Street_

_Sheldon Aiden Dzia_

"Cool name," Duss admired.

"Yeah, well I hate it," Perry/Sheldon muttered, throwing off his sunglasses and putting on new, red, star-shaped ones. "So I take the first two letters of each of my names and I get Shaidz. Cool, right?"

"Interesting," Mario agreed. "What would you prefer for us to call you?"

"Just Perry," he answered. "It's the coolest name in the world to me. What happened was I decided I couldn't go around bein' called Sheldon all the time, it's lame. So I went through naming books and I found Perry, which is awesome, and then I came up with a last name that nobody would think was weird and outlandeish-" he pronounced the word with four syllables- "which was Johnson. Perry Johnson. Then I used my two-letter-per-name name and used Shaidz as my middle name. So it's Perry Shaidz Johnson. Catchy, right?"

"Very," Marrifi agreed.

"Now Perry, we need to ask you what your general opinion is on this case," Feiss explained. "Just the way you think, who you suspect, all that stuff."

Perry chuckled for a moment. "This is funny…" he mused. "It's like, you're from Cali and all that, and here I am from Florida. A bit funny, you say?"

"…Sure," Feiss answered, her eyes twitching. "_Anyway,_ your opinion, please?"

"Well I haven't really gave it lots of thought," Perry replied. "Not much to say, I guess. I mean, I wouldn't know who killed the girl. She was pretty, and she was rich o' course, but meh. I coulda taken her or left her when it came to personality."

"I see." Feiss put her hand to her forehead and persisted. "We don't need a whole big answer, we just want to know what you think."

"Well, I don't got an answer for that," Perry replied, exchanging his sunglasses for bright yellow un-rimmed ones. "I never thought a lot about Tess. She was just…ya know, money with blonde hair. Hot, dumb, and rich, but a bit of a snot, ya know. Hey guys, ya mind if I get a coffee?"

Feiss smiled, a very fake, very wide smile, and replied, "Sure. No problem."

The Koopa left for the kitchen. Mario and Feiss leaned back to look around the corner and make sure he was out of earshot before Mario quietly cried, "He's a pig! Why did I ever admire this guy?"

Feiss sighed. "Because you didn't know him. It's true, he's a monster, but the bad thing is he thinks he can get away with not caring what people think. I hate him, too, but he's one of those people you have to pretend you like because…well, just because."

Perry returned with a mug of instant coffee and sat back down, fitting on new square blue sunglasses with thick white rims. "So…" he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "What else exactly do ya gotta ask me?"

Feiss swallowed slowly. "Well, not much, really. Just a recount of what you did the night of the murder."

Perry pulled down his sunglasses and tilted his head down until he was staring at the Toadette through slanted eyes. "What I did? As in…?"

"Just a thorough listing of your actions on that night, starting with the end of second course," Mario explained. Feiss stared at him while Perry took another sip of coffee and switched out his sunglasses for shiny silver ones.

"'Kay…" he consented. "I don't know what this's got to do with anything, but sure. Let's see here…honestly, there ain't much to tell. I stayed at the table for most of dinner, 'cept I left after we had our big meals and took a walk around the halls."

"Did you see anyone?" Feiss asked.

"Yup." Perry threw off his sunglasses and donned new glittery violet ones. "The little Quaset girl. Whatever-the-heck-her-name-is. Pretty, she is."

"Cerafina?" Feiss prompted slowly, as though talking to a four-year-old.

"Right, right," Perry confirmed. "Well, I saw her, but we didn't really talk. It was the whole 'hello, how are ya, see ya' type 'o thing. She was nice. Kinda annoying, though. Talked _way_ too much."

"I see," Mario answered. "Anything else you'd like to add?"

"Nope," Perry replied. "I stayed at the table the rest of the time, and I went straight to bed after Tess…well, you know, croaked."

Mario stared disgustedly at him before shaking his head. "Okay then. Anything else you want to say before we leave? Just-anything towards the case?"

Perry thought about it for a moment before switching his sunglasses out for forest green ones with pitch-black rims. "Yeah, actually, a little funny thing." He walked quickly over to a small table with a vase of dead roses on it. "I had a lighter here-just for burning trash, by the way-and it's gone now. Kinda sad, 'cause it's a handsome trinket. Like myself."

Mario decided to ignore his egotistic remark and asked, "What does this lighter look like?"

"It's orange-brown with an eagle engraved into the side," Perry answered, taking a sip of coffee. "One of my favorite souvenirs. I got it in England, actually. Nice people."

"Okay then," Feiss replied. "Orange-brown lighter with an eagle carving. Anything else?"

Perry shook his head. "Thanks for the time, though. Nice to be able to help. Oh wait. One last thing."

He fished through one of the ripped handbags and pulled out a familiar object that Mario recognized as a Growth Coin. "Hey take this," he ordered.

Mario glared narrowly at him while Feiss sighed and made for the door. "Sure thing, Sheldon," the plumber answered, accepting the coin semi-graciously before following Feiss and the officers out of the suite.

"Well now that we have that guy over with," Feiss muttered with Mario looking over her shoulder, "we have…Sophie! She's in Room 304, let's go!" And with that she took off towards the stairs. Mario stared after her but followed.

After a moment, however, he realized a small fact in the alphabetical listing. Instead of dashing upstairs, he made his way back to Room 50. He knocked on the door and Koopetto answered.

"Hello, Mario!" the Koopa greeted him. "What's up?"

"Could you get the others?" Mario asked.

Koopetto looked slightly confused but complied. After a string of hellos and how-are-yous, Mario plunged into his explanation.

"I think I have a good idea on the answer to our case at this point," he told his partners. Snow clapped her hands and Jovi looked disappointed (Mario supposed she had wanted to solve the case as well), and the rest of his friends simply gasped.

"Right now, I need you to go find some kind of beverage that you can put in a glass. Take that and all of you go straight to the lobby and wait there. You're going to get a phone call from me," Mario explained. "All you have to do is wait for that phone call. But whatever you do, _stay in the lobby until then._"

His partners looked intrigued. Snow trotted off towards the refrigerator and filled a glass with an orange liquid. "What's this?" he asked.

"Orange wine," Snow replied.

"How do they make that?" the plumber asked curiously.

"I don't know," Snow answered, shaking her head. "This was Tess's favorite drink…The four of us used to be the Toady Crew before Tess…you know…"

Mario put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "Wait Mario," Jovi requested. The plumber turned around and looked expectantly at her.

"You see…with me here, I'm not going to get interviewed, I suppose, but I wanted to tell you something important."

"Okay," Mario conceded, sitting down in a black wooden chair.

"See…when I was taking a walk after the entrées were over…I saw this Toadette in the hallway, dressed like a maid, right in front of one of the rooms," Jovi explained.

"Do you know which one?" Mario asked.

"I couldn't say for sure…" Jovi answered. "But it must have been thirty-something. 35? 38? I honestly don't remember."

"Anything else about her?"

"Actually, yes," Jovi confirmed. "She was carrying a multitude of random objects. Let me think. There was a cigarette lighter, and a blue bottle of powder. Um…and I guess that's all I can remember."

Mario took quite a while to process all of this, but eventually nodded. "Thanks, Jovi. That's a wonderful help."

Once his partners had left, Mario did the same and eventually arrived at the door to Room 304 where Feiss was repeatedly ringing the doorbell. He wasn't sure how long she had been doing this, but about forty seconds after he arrived, door opened to a light blue Yoshi. She stared at them with narrowed eyes that were literally violet. "Inspectors?" she asked wearily.

"That's us," Mario told her. Sophie welcomed them in gracefully, twirling in as she closed the door. She motioned for them to sit, plunking down in an armchair afterwards. Again Feiss remained standing and spun a lock of hair around her finger.

"Hiya," Sophie greeted the four of them. "I'm guessing you wanna ask me stuff?" She seemed awfully nonchalant, as though the whole situation didn't affect her in the slightest. When Mario mentioned this to her, she cocked her head to one side. "Nonchalant? Tess was one of my friends, of course I care."

Mario shrugged at her protest and asked for her name and address in the notebook. Sophie smiled wide and nodded:

_Sophie Amelia Meyers_

_159 Taylor Avenue_

"My mother says I have a very _melodious_ name," Sophie commented. Mario chuckled and agreed.

"Okay," Feiss said with a half-smile and wide eyes, leaning forward. "Sophie, do you have any opinions about the case you'd like to share with us?" Mario stared at her. She looked like and gave off the vibe of a dragon in make-up.

"Well…" Sophie thought for a moment. "Not really. I'm sorry. I just haven't thought about it-I've been really shocked since it happened."  
Feiss looked unimpressed. "Okay then…Well, Sophie, we would love for you to tell us what you did the night it happened. Don't leave _anything_ out."

Sophie looked at her, confusion sprawled out on her face. "O-okay," she agreed. "From…?"

"Fourth course," Feiss answered.

"Second, please," Mario said quietly.

"Fourth," Feiss argued firmly.

"You know, I think I'd rather just start from the beginning of dinner," Sophie laughed nervously. "I, um…Well, I stayed at the table for the drinks and appetizers, but when they were ending second course, I came here to change because I had a spot on my dress. Oh, and I wanted to put these special shoes on." She put her foot on the table to show off sparkly red boots with dark brown soles. "Then I got back as third course was just starting."

"Sophie, did you meet anyone along the way?" Mario asked.

Sophie shook her head.

"Liar," Feiss muttered under her breath.

"Anyway, I stayed at the table for the rest of the time, except when it, well…happened," Sophie finished.

"You're sure nothing strange has happened since then?" Mario persisted.

"Oh! There is something," Sophie told them. "I found this on my desk here." She picked up a small bottle from a shelf, like one that would hold medicine. "Eye drops. Cassidy's the only one here who uses eye drops, so I meant to give these back to her. But I couldn't find here, so I'll keep them here until I do. This _is_ a pretty big place."

She unscrewed the cap and looked inside. Mario was about to suggest she put the top back on when Sophie tripped, spilling the contents of the bottle on the floor.

"Oh no!" she cried. "I need to clean this up!"

The plumber was about to help clean, but Sophie insisted he sit. "I don't want to make you clean my suite. My mess, don't worry," she assured him, putting a finger to her mouth in thought.

"Well I think we're done here," Feiss said with half-closed eyes. "Marrifi and Duss, come with me. We'll wait outside." Mario rolled his eyes.

Sophie soon yanked her finger away, muttering, "Saline is disgusting…" Getting a few paper towels, she set to drying the floor.

After a few moments she wheezed. After coughing a couple of times, she went back to work.

**:::::**

Mario rushed into the hall, shouting, "Guys, get in here! There's something wrong with Sophie!" Feiss, Marrifi, and Duss looked confusedly at each other but followed. Inside, they were shocked to find Mario was telling the truth. Sohpie was choking violently. Mario's hands twitched in fear. About ten seconds later, the Yoshi stopped coughing and fell back onto the floor, her limbs splayed out unnaturally.

"Well, that's not encouraging," Feiss commented. "Seems the same thing that got Tess got her too."

"What are we going to do?" Marrifi almost screamed.

"We're going to leave her here," Duss replied. "When this is all over, we'll come back. I guess we should tell everybody what happened _eventually,_ but not now."

Feiss sighed. "Sure," she agreed. "We'll do that. But I just have a bad feeling about this. We'll need to stay as close together as we can."  
"Definitely" was the general response. "Well who's next?" Mario asked.

"Craff," Feiss replied, her voice slightly shaky. "She's in Room 96. Gosh…I wish we didn't have to inspect her, though. She's one of my best friends."

"Yeah, well," Mario dismissed her comment. "We have to. That's how professional inspectors do things, right?"

"Don't push it."

After a rather long walk down three flights, they arrived at Room 96. After Mario knocked, he stood back and waited. Feiss looked depressed, and the officers simply looked tired. Mario heard a yawn from inside and presently the door opened. Craff T., sporting a blue robe and orange slippers, stood there. "Feiss," she exclaimed, "you're here."

Feiss nodded. "I have to question everyone, remember? That's the way a _professional_ inspector does things."

Craff T. stared at Mario with a troubled expression on her face. "Well, seeing as you're here already, I guess you can just come in. Please don't mess up the mat though."

Mario noticed the pink furry welcome mat as he walked in. "Whoa…" Mario murmured. "Craff, it's hot in here, do you have the air conditioner off?"

"Yes, actually," the Toadette replied curtly. "I can get you drinks though."

Feiss and Duss refused, and Craff T. returned shortly with three glasses of familiar orange liquid. She suggested they sit. Feiss sat this time. "So, you want me to tell you things, right?" Craff guessed. Mario nodded, taking a drink from the glass.

"Name and address, please," he requested, handing her the notebook.

"Sure thing," she answered, tearing up. She only took a few seconds to give the book back:

_Craff T. Miriam Olsen_

_236 Ponsit Street_

"Is something wrong, Craff?" Mario asked.

"No…" the Toadette replied. "Alcohol just makes me cry. I'm not sure why though."

Mario nodded approvingly. "Now, Ms. Olsen, could you give us any opinions you might have on this case?"

Craff pursed her lips. "Not so much…" she replied. "I don't know, it's just…not something I'm good at. Thinking too much about crime, I mean. It's not my forte like it is Feiss's."

"Well, that's okay," Feiss assured her. "Would you tell us of your actions the night of the murder?"

Craff hesitated before confidently replying, "Sure. See, I didn't leave the table at all through the first two courses. But then during third course I left to change and, well…get a few things. And after they served dessert, I left again to get some more things."

"Anything strange or worth noting?" Mario asked without taking his eyes off the notebook.

"Not really," Craff replied. "Except I did lose an outfit for some reason. It was a little black-and-white maid's outfit. I don't know why anyone would ever steal it, because I only used it as a costume at parties sometimes…But besides that, nothing weird. And after I left that time, I stayed at the table for the rest of the meal."

She suddenly sunk in her chair with a sad look on her face. "Poor Tess. She was so young. Why did she have to-oh, I see the two of you are finished with your drinks," she interrupted herself, wiping tears from her eyes. "So am I, in fact. I'll get more."

"No, I'll get them," Feiss announced. Craff shrugged and handed her the empty glasses.

"No more for me, please," Marrifi requested. Feiss rolled her eyes and left for the kitchen.

"I understand you were one of Tess T.'s closest friends," Mario said quietly after they had left. "Snow and Regali have told me that the four of you-Snow, Feiss, Tess, and you-were a close group. The Toady Crew, you were called."

Craff stared, amazed, at him. "That's absolutely true. They were actually the Toady Triplets before I met Feiss."

Mario nodded. "By the way, Craff, could I use the phone?"

"Sure," Craff replied. "But you can only either call the lobby or every room in the mansion."

"That's fine," Mario answered, walking towards the telephone on one of the tables.

"Just press nine if you want to call the lobby," Craff instructed. Mario thanked her and pressed said button.

"Hello?" Goomessa's voice asked.

"Hi, Goomessa," Mario confirmed quietly.

"What do you need?" Goomessa asked.

"Bring the glass of orange stuff to Room 96, fast," Mario ordered.

"O…kay…" Goomessa answered. "Snow will be right up with that. See you later!" She hung up the phone.

Just then, Feiss returned with two full glasses. Mario thanked her while Craff started drinking. "Duss, Marrifi, why don't you leave for now," Mario asked a few seconds afterwards.

Duss was quick to argue. "But what if something happens-"

"Come on, Duss," Marrifi insisted, grabbing the Toad's hand and yanking him out of his seat. "If Mario wants us to wait, we'll wait. We'll just be in Room 100, Mario."

It was only then that Mario decided to ask Craff what the drink was.

"Oh, it's an orange wine. Tess put a bottle of it in each of our suites." Mario noticed she tended to end sentences like questions.

"So how do they make wine out of oranges?" Mario tried again.

"I don't know," Craff replied, shaking her head.

The plumber walked to the door and opened it slightly. After about a half a minute, during which Feiss and Craff chatted with each other, Mario closed the door and sat back down, taking a drink from the glass.

"Well, I guess we should leave," Mario decided. "We don't have anything else to ask, so we're pretty much taking advantage of your time now…"

"Oh no, don't worry-" Craff suddenly cut herself off, choking for a moment before continuing. Mario's eyes grew wide and he cleared his throat as well.

"As I was saying, don't worry! I'm just-"

She stopped again in another fit of choking. Mario took a deep breath and coughed as well. Feiss just looked between them and sighed. After a few moments of coughing, Craff fell forward, her face landing smartly in her drink, which then spilled on the table. Mario continued to cough as well.

"What do you think, Mario?" Feiss asked. "What exactly happened to you to get you in this situation?"

"So it was you," Mario choked out.

"No, it was my great-aunt Ilsa, yes it was me!" Feiss shouted. "But…you're better than Craff. Stay with me for a bit while I boast about my success, why don't you?"

Mario simply choked in response. "Good. Now…I always thought there was a tiny chance that you would find me out, but I knew there was a better chance that you'd be gone by that point. But honestly, I didn't think it would be in a situation like this. You did a lot better than I thought you might-I mean, you shouldn't have made it this far. But it's okay, because I had planning on my side! What did you have? A moustache?"

All this time, Mario coughed severely. As Feiss finished speaking, he fell back in his chair.

"See ya," Feiss laughed, leaving the suite.

**:::::**

"Where's Mario?" Marrifi asked as Feiss entered Room 100.

"He's just clearing some things up with Craff," the Toadette replied. "But we're done. We know who our culprit is."

"Really?" Duss asked, shocked. "Who?"

"You'll have to wait and see, it's a surprise," Feiss answered tauntingly. "Let's hit the lobby."

"I'll call all of the rooms in the mansion," Duss decided, walking towards the phone. "What's the number?"

"Eleven," Feiss answered over her shoulder as Marrifi opened the door for her. Duss dialed and said crisply into the phone:

"We would like to request that all current residents of Martin Mansion meet for an emergency meeting. This is mandatory."

"Okay! Let's get going!" Feiss ordered giddily.

**:::::**

Cassidy heard a knock on the door. "Coming!" she yelled, putting on two yellow ballet slippers. She opened the door and almost fainted. "S-S-Snow T.! It's…why are you here? And…who are the rest of these people?"

"These are some of my friends," Snow replied, inviting herself in. "We just have a question for you about the case."

"O-of course!" Cassidy giggled.

"Has anything been missing since the night of the murder?" Snow asked.

"…No, I'm sorry," Cassidy answered.

"You _do_ take eye drops, correct?" Snow persisted.

"Yes, I took some this morning."

**:::::**

"Hello, everybody!" Feiss greeted the large crowd that had gathered in the main hall, walking down the stairs and stopping a few steps short of the bottom. "It's so nice to see you all here again! We have a few important announcements to make!"

There was some oohing and ahing and groaning at her statement, which she quickly shushed. "On a sad note, we must admit that two of our guests are no longer with us. Sophie Meyers and Craff T. have died today."

"Not Sophie!" Regali Dofter cried.

"Why Craff?" Trixibelle Harvey sobbed.

Before any more expressions of anguish could be made, what Feiss recognized as Mario's odd friends rushed into the room, dragging Cassidy Caw with them. Everybody stared. "No comment," Orville Baradaeo snarled.

At that moment, the three Geersons entered, looking extremely inappropriate. Both Sara and Aviare had their hair tied up in blonde bows with pink streaks, and wore thin white party dresses. Kenneth wore a full black tuxedo and his hair was dyed an olive color that made him look seriously ill.

"You _do_ know we're still under a relatively formal atmosphere…right?" Feiss demanded.

"Well, since you called us all down, we assumed we were going to learn who the murderer is," Sara explained.

"So the case would be over," Aviare continued.

"And there would be a party to celebrate," Kenneth finished.

"No _freaking_ comment," Orville shouted.

Feiss sighed. Time to get this train back on track. "But on a lighter note, the Geersons have just ruined the surprise! We do in fact know who our killer is!"

Sounds of joy immediately greeted her ears. She smiled. "And we will reveal who our killer is to you right now!" She watched in delight, as everybody in the crowd looked at each other in worry, wondering who would be picked, each and every one of them hoping it wouldn't be him or her self.

"Our killer is-" Feiss began.

"Stop it right there!" shouted a voice from the top of the stairs. Feiss froze in horror. She turned slowly to see Mario standing on the top step, pointing at her.

She gulped and felt her mouth run dry, her face turning pale as though she was seen a ghost (and under any other circumstances, she would be). "What is it, Mario?"

"Cunning-eight. Acting-a generous two," Mario chuckled, continuing to descend the staircase. "That's right, Feiss. I'm _not_ dead!"

"B-but you…you were…You're trying to trick me! This is a set-up!" Feiss stammered, though she tried to act as calm as possible.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you-our murderer!" Mario laughed, indicating Feiss. The crowd emitted a loud, cartoon-ish gasp.

"You're crazy!" Feiss cried. "How could _I_ be a killer? You were there when Sophie and Craff died! I couldn't have done anything!"

"You're right," Mario agreed. "_You_ couldn't. But two of you could."

"What are you going on about now?"

"Well, I know it's generally unorthodox to suspect a dead person, but ladies and gentlemen, Craff T.-our accomplice."

"What?" Feiss demanded. "You can't be serious."

"Do you _want_ me to give them evidence? I'll give them evidence!" Mario decided, walking the rest of the way down the stairs. Feiss stared after him. "I'll give you all what you want. Marrifi, Duss, you've been with us for all of the interviews, so if you hear anything that sounds off, just holler. Ahem.

"Nothing happens during first course. Everything is all fine and dandy, you see. But after second course…that's when things get interesting. Craff and Feiss T. both leave the table at this time. Feiss goes straight to her room-Room 100-and takes _these_." He pulled from his pocket a bottle of light blue powder and a pair of gray shoes."

"Hey, those look exactly like the shoes Sophie was wearing up until third course!" Cassidy commented.

"Exactly," Mario agreed.

"So what if I got those?" Feiss shouted. "What I just wanted to have them with me?"

"But what would you be doing with blue skin powder and gray shoes that look like Sophie's old ones?" Mario replied challengingly. "You masqueraded as Sophie. The hallway on the first floor is very badly lit, so anybody who saw you-would what, Aviare?"

Aviare stared in awe at the plumber. "Anyone who saw her would think she was Sophie!" she finished.

"Correct! So in her blue powder and Sophie shoes, Feiss strolls into Room 15, the Geerson's suite, while Aviare is powdering her own face. Feiss snatches a bottle of moonstone powder-not because it was useful to your operation, but to ensure that Sophie Meyers would be suspected, something you yourself were a little overzealous about.

"At the same time as the theft, Craff T. is making a few of her own capers," Mario continued. "Cassidy, is it true that the seat next to yours was empty for most of dinner?"

The Goomba nodded.

"Marrifi, Duss, is it true that Craff said she lost an outfit like one a maid would wear?" the plumber asked.

"Yes," Marrifi and Duss replied at the same time, looking afraid.

"She lied. She put on that outfit and took a walk around the mansion, making sure not to be recognized. Dominique LeBeau, is it not true that Craff T. was not the type of person you'd notice immediately?"

"I guess so, that's what I told you yesterday," the Bob-bomb confirmed. Feiss pulled at her hair and the officers looked confused.

"So nobody would notice her if she was dressed up and didn't talk to anyone," Mario continued. "As long as nobody sees her, Craff can enter the rooms of anybody she wishes, and if anybody asks questions, she's simply a cleaning maid. Perry Johnson, is it true that you are missing a cigarette lighter?"

"Yup."

"During dinner, after third course was served, Craff T. entered Room 38 and stole that lighter," Mario explained. "Next. Is it true, Trixibelle Harvey, that you are missing a blue bottle of talcum powder and discovered this fact during fourth course?"

"Yes, it is," Trixi replied, not sure if she should say anything.

"Noah Carlisle, is it true that you have a short green-silver length of ribbon?"

"That's correct…" Noah answered.

"Hey, my powder bottle had a green-silver ribbon on the neck!" Trixi exclaimed. "It always fell off the neck, though."

"Which was fatal to Feiss and Craff. During third course also, Craff T. invaded the room of the Dope Opera and took the bottle of talcum powder. However, the ribbon most likely fell from the neck and onto the floor. Noah, what room do you have?"

"430."

"Prince Dameon, which room do you and your friends accompany?"

"412," Prince answered cautiously.

"So Craff drops the ribbon and, deciding she can use it as a way to make us suspect somebody else, leaves it in the closest room," Mario explained. "Dr. Artunian! Is talcum powder extremely poisonous? Enough to kill a person in even a small dose?"

"It is, actually," Cassandra answered. "It doesn't take much at all to be lethal."

"Good, because Trixi's talcum powder killed Tess, Sophie, and Craff," Mario told the crowd.

"Would you like to tell us exactly how that's possible?" Feiss demanded. "Tess was opening presents, Sophie was cleaning the floor, and Craff was drinking wine."

"Correct, correct, and wrong, my friend," Mario replied. "But you should know that. It's actually quite obvious. Marrifi, Duss, is it true that Craff T. mentioned that she starts crying when she has alcohol?"

"Yeah, she did," Marrifi confirmed.

"And is it true that she did in fact _not_ cry when she started drinking her second glass of win-which Feiss gave to her?" Mario continued.

"Well…actually, you're right, she didn't," Duss murmured, surprised.

"The 'wine' was water with talcum powder and orange food coloring," Mario told everybody. "As for Sophie and Tess, the poison was administered the same way-from the hand to the mouth. Tess's was in the bubble wrap, which again Feiss was quite overzealous for her to pop. Now, Cassidy Caw, is it true that you take eye drops?"

"Once again, yes, and I took them this morning," Cassidy answered irritably.

"Marrifi, Duss, didn't Sophie find a bottle of eye drops on her shelf?" Mario asked.

"Yeah, but…" Marrifi mumbled, "Cassidy has hers, and nobody else uses eye drops…"

"The bottle was filled with poison!" Duss guessed. "And Sophie put her finger in her mouth!"

"Exactly," Mario agreed.

"But…but I…" Feiss attempted to make up a lie, but was at a loss for words. "But I can't…"

"Think up an excuse? I know," Mario answered.

"Feiss T. Mia, you are under arrest for the willful murders of Tess T. Keys, Sophie Meyers, and Craff T. Olsen," Marrifi told her scornfully, clutching the Toadette's right arm.

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in court," Duss finished, taking hold of her left arm.

"Well, this isn't fair, you know why?" Feiss sobbed. "Because I didn't _want_ to kill Tess, I _had_ to! Tess was the most beautiful, wonderful person in the world! And do you know what beautiful, wonderful people are?"

"What are they?" Mario decided to humor her.

"They're high-maintenance! Like, they're controlling, and they always need things, and they come into your room and see you transform and figure out you're the Queen of Death and I…I couldn't stand for that!"

"They figure out the queen of what?" Mario cried.

Feiss looked and Marrifi and then at Duss and, with inhuman force, cracked their wrists and shoved them to the floor. "Yep, that's me. Queen of Death. I'm a goddess, you know. Nobody can arrest me."

"You were also the one who wrote the letter, weren't you?" Mario demanded.

Feiss laughed quietly. "So you guessed it…But there's a reasoning behind my signature, you know," she said. She raised her right hand and, with her index finger, drew in the air the words "Feiss T. Mia." Everybody else either gasped or screamed; the words showed up in flaming red letters. She then proceeded to rearrange the letters to spell "i aM sisTeF."

Mario gaped at the words. "Sistef…" he whispered.

Feiss cackled for several moments before continuing. "I really wished you'd stop being stupid and sticking your nose in where it didn't belong. I wished that since you very first showed up and asked to join the inspecting team. That way…well, you wouldn't be in this situation and neither would I. Someone in this crowd would be arrested and, like I told you last night, we could go our merry way. But of course, you had to keep snooping around, being a complete idiot. I'm really surprised, though, that you pulled off the wine switch to avoid being poisoned and I didn't even notice. And figuring out that I used a voice recording over the phone to make the rest of you think it couldn't have been any of the inspecting team? Genius!"

Mario smiled deviously. "I never figured that part out," he admitted.

"And...I just told you, didn't I...?" Feiss asked embarrassedly. "And...now I have to kill you. I won't even use poison either, I'm going to destroy you with my bare hands."

"And how could you possibly do that?" Mario demanded. "You might be smart, but you're about as strong as aluminum foil."

"You think so?" Feiss shouted, making Mario fall to the ground. Feiss raised her hands to the sky and began laughing. "You think the owner of a Cloud Fragment is as strong as _aluminum foil?_"

Mario's eyes widened as the Toadette's skin and hair began glowing white and her shirt and pants began sparkling all of the colors of the rainbow. When she looked back at him with an evil grin, her eyes contained no pupils. Her mushroom top faded into a uniform gray. "I always thought you might be a better sleuth than I, Mario," she told him, "but are you a better fighter?"

**:::::**

**There we go! We're getting close to the end of chapter seven! Woot! Next part will obviously be our boss battle, so get excited!**

**What did you think? How many of you knew and how many of you thought someone else? Tell me please!**

**Oh, and sorry I didn't even make Mario figure out the voice recording himself. I couldn't find a way for him to discover it, so I decided I could just use Feiss's big mouth as a plot device. Hey, it works, right?**

**See ya!**


	77. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part X

**Hey, guys! Freddy here! And you're reading my Legend of the Clouds! BOSS BATTLE TEIM! Happy New Year, people! I am loving the 2011ness! Anyway, I don't own Mario, so let's get this show on the road!**

**:::::**

"Feiss, this doesn't have to be bad," Mario reasoned as his partners joined him at the bottom of the stairs. "If we just slow down for a moment, we might be able to see each other's sides."

The Toadette stood with her back to him, a marble pin with a gold shamrock design sparkling in her hair. Mario assumed that could only be the Cloud Fragment she claimed to possess. She then turned and stared at him for several seconds with white eyes. Different parts of her body randomly turned and warped before her hands formed into fists as she walked towards Mario with robotic precision. "One. You _don't_ call me Feiss. People I like call me Feiss. I'm Sistef to you. Two. I don't _want_ to see your side. My side is the only one that matters, and I'm going to make you respect that, whatever it takes."

"Feiss, please tell me you actually understand what you've done," Mario requested. "You killed three people, and I don't think you seem to care."

"Again, I am _Sistef_ to you! Stop calling me Feiss! And of course I understand!" she cried. "Do you actually think this is a first for me?"

"You've killed people before?" Mario demanded.

"Sure I have!" Sistef answered, the middles of her eyes going black again. "I haven't always used poison, though. But I've sure as heck done away with quite a few in the past couple of weeks. Of course, there isn't always a ton of people around. Sometimes it's only me and a few other people, but it's so much more fun when there are a lot of us. I guess this is the first time I've ever been caught at it, but that won't matter. Because once I get you out of the way, I'll be all clear, won't I?"

"Fine," Mario replied. "If this is what you want, then this is what we'll do. Goomessa?"

"You know, from what she looks like now, you really wouldn't guess it was her," Goomessa chuckled, skimming the description of Sistef in her log. "So Sistef. She's a semi-earthly Toadette with an appetite for vanity and a knack for persuading her…prey. Nice choice of words there. Max Hp is approximately 70, attack is 8, and defense is 1. She can send streams of powerful energy at us, and she can take our health and heal herself with it. A little creepy…Anyway, she can combine different kinds of energy to make it even stronger and with different effects. She might also be able to do other things, but I couldn't be sure what."

"You dang rights!" Sistef laughed, flinging a ball of green energy at Mario and knocking him to the ground. As Mario tried to get up, he felt himself unable to move. Sistef laughed again and chucked a purple energy ball at Goomessa. The Goombette dodged and Wishes took the hit, immediately shrinking to the size of a tennis ball. The crazed Toadette continued hurling energy balls around the room, some of them missing and some of them striking Mario's partners.

"Mario, this isn't going well!" Goomessa cried as soon as Mario was able to move again.

"I can see that!" Mario shouted as an orange beam flew through the ceiling and sent rubble crashing to the floor. At this point the state of mentality of the crowd could be described as "full-on panic."

Mario rushed at Sistef and prepared to whack her over the head. "No," she said simply, sending a blue energy ball at the plumber, which he narrowly dodged, but only by throwing himself to the ground.

"Why are you still trying, Mario?" she asked sweetly, putting a hand to his cheek. For as disfigured and flickering as she was, her smile was oddly reassuring. As if able to read his mind, she slapped him across the cheek and continued sharply, "I really do want to know why you haven't even given up. I know I'm going to win, I just wish I knew why you don't."

Mario looked around for his partners, but they had busied themselves with calming down the crowd. He bit his lip. "That's a lie. You know you're going to _lose._"

"Are you really suggesting that? Oh, I'm shaking in my vanilla-shade silk leather party boots!" Sistef laughed. She then cocked her head to the side and asked, "Mario, when have I ever lied to you?"

Mario stared at her for a moment. "Uh…always?" He wasn't sure what she meant by the question when the answer was so clear.

"No no, no no," Sistef argued, yanking Mario up and throwing him against the wall. "I never have. Never once did I put forth the notion that I was not the killer."

"Of course you did!" Mario insisted, standing up with effort and trudging towards the Toadette. "When I first accused you in front of everybody, remember?"

"No, actually," Sistef answered. "I said, 'You're crazy, I couldn't have done anything", which for all intents and purposes are opinions. So you can't actually say they were false."

"But technically you knew that I was right, and you were trying to prove me wrong," Mario reminded her.

"Don't try to out-logic me!" Sistef laughed, her eyes sparking dangerously. "I'm not Medusa! You can't put a mirror in my face and pretend I'm Mary Worthington!"

"The fact is, you don't have to tell a lie to live a lie," Mario told her, trying to swing at her and missing.

"And what exactly does that mean?" Sistef asked, attempting to slap Mario and stomping her foot on the floor as he dodged.

"I mean just what I said," Mario answered, jumping to the side as she flung a red energy ball at him. "You can be a cheater without doing it to someone's face."

"You're losing your mind," Sistef said bitterly. "Are you saying that I'm living a lie? That I'm a cheater?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"You want me to be someone I'm not?" Sistef demanded, creating a black energy beam in her hand.

"What are you talking about?" Mario asked.

She tossed the beam into the mostly subdued audience and flew into the air after it. It hit Koopetto and Sistef reached her hand out towards him. Mario watched in horror and confusion as she disappeared into the Koopa. Koopetto cried out in pain for a single instant before looking up with terrifyingly wide eyes and a wide grin. The return of the panic to the crowd was immediate.

"She's taken control over Koopetto's mind!" Jovi shouted.

"Oh, it isn't so easy as that," answered Sistef with Koopetto's comparatively dull voice. "I can't just control anybody I want to, whenever I want to. My victims have to _let_ me in first. _Let_ me in. And I have a way with words, if you know what I mean."

She then folded into Koopetto's violet shell and slammed into Fluzz. "That's what the book meant by persuading your prey!" Mario realized.

"What are we gonna do?" Jazz cried. "We can't just attack him!"

"We have to," Mario argued. "The attack hits the soul, not the surface. She'll leave as soon as she realizes she's being hurt."

"Now what the heck are you saying now?" Sistef demanded, folding Koopetto's arms with an inquisitive look on his face. She didn't get a response before Mario ran up to the Koopa and cracked him over the head with his hammer. His conscience laced with pain as he did so, but he knew it was the only way to free Koopetto from Sistef.

"Mario, are you sure this is a good idea?" Goomessa asked worriedly.

"Just do it!" Hattie yelled, rushing towards Sistef and socking Koopetto in the shoulder. Mario's other partners followed-except for Snow. The Toadette stood and watched in terror.

"You cretins, quit it!" Sistef screamed. She backed Koopetto into a wall and looked for a way to escape. Suddenly smiling, she jumped from the body of Koopetto, whose wounds magically disintegrated.

The black ball of energy dashed through the air aimlessly for a few seconds before zooming towards Jovi. The Bob-bomb stared for a moment before Sistef took control. "After her, guys!" Mario ordered.

"_What are you talking about?_" Sistef yelled as Jovi. "_Why are you doing this?_"

Mario didn't humor her with an answer this time but instead crashed his hammer down on her "head". "Fine, if you're going to keep at this," Sistef muttered, exploding and catching the entire party, including Koopetto who was just starting to get back up, in an excruciating blast. Mario had to stop to breathe before he could continue attacking.

"Why are you even going on, idiots?" Sistef demanded. "It's not my fault you're stupid, so why are you taking it out on me?"

She produced three small grenades and tossed them randomly about the room. Mario and his partners rushed to collect them, but they exploded and burning everybody, even some of the guests.

"This is crazy, Feiss!" Wishes shouted. "Do what you want, but don't hurt the residents!"

"I SAID!" Sistef shrieked. "DON'T CALL ME FEISS! IT'S SISTEF!"

In her fury, her black energy ball left Jovi and dragged her out with it. Jovi collapsed as the ball flew around for another moment or two before finding a target and zipping into Jazz. The Boo yelped for a split second before glaring back at the party. "See what you made me do? I had to switch idiots!" She rushed at Mario's partners, knocking down a few of his friends. "It isn't fair that you're outnumbering me like this!"

"Boo hoo," Hattie said sarcastically, punching Jazz in the face and sending him flying through the air and into the wall. Mario crouched for a few moments before bursting into the air and landing solidly on the Boo.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Sistef whined, getting back up with much difficulty. "I didn't want this for you and I didn't want it for me! So why are you hurting me like this?"

"Why are _you?_" Koopetto shouted. "You're the one who murdered three people and doesn't even care!"

"I told you, I did care," Sistef protested. "I didn't want to hurt Tess, but she found out who I was, and I couldn't let everybody know! That's the reason I've killed so many people, is so nobody would know!"

"How exactly is _that_ goal doing on being achieved?" Jovi demanded after exploding right behind the Toadette. "Because in the case that you had not noticed, every resident of this mansion has discovered the secret you tried so ruthlessly to keep."

"That doesn't matter!" Sistef told her, slapping her to the ground. "Because I can make sure _nobody_ tells. I can make your lives nonexistent. I can make your friends bury an empty coffin. And you know why?"

"Why?" Goomessa asked angrily.

"Because I'm magical," Sistef answered in a mocking tone, making a rainbow gesture with her arms. "I can be and do anything. That's anything in the world. I can be a flower, or sign a declaration of war for a country that doesn't exist. I can know everything about everyone just by taking control of everyone. I can even be the queen of the world just because I want to!"

"Say what you want to," Mario replied, hitting her with his mallet, "but you're just the Queen of Death. And most of us don't even care about that."

Sistef sighed and knocked him upside the head, causing him to fall to the ground. "Oh, but that's the great thing," she gloated, floating over him with a demented expression. "I can _become_ anything. And most people will listen to the queen of the whole world. You just don't seem to understand that."

From behind, Fluzz and Wishes jumped up behind the Boo and began attacking relentlessly, giving Mario a chance to hop up and join in. Looking around, Mario saw that Snow still refused to attack but simply stood at the bottom of the stairs staring up at the fight.

"See Sistef, this is the difference between you and us," Goomessa sneered. "We have teamwork."

"That's not even slightly true," Sistef replied, her black energy ball finally leaving Jazz. As she landed for a moment she continued, "You're not really different from me and you all know it. You're just out to get rid of people with your own skewed and tortured sense of justice. No matter what you think you're doing, it's still wrong."

The black ball then sped through the air at Hattie, who tried to knock it aside but to no effect whatsoever. The Yoshi, controlled by Sistef, then immediately began to attack the party.

"Do you really think you're doing damage?" she demanded, throwing her hand through the air and knocking Koopetto and Goomessa to the ground. "You're dead! Don't you understand? I can't believe you haven't even given up, because you aren't going to win."

"That's what you think," Mario replied, retrieving the first Cloud Fragment from his pocket. "You're not the only one who has these, Sistef." He held up the hat to the air and was answered by the gratifying flash of gray. Sistef looked shocked and frightened.

"You think I'm scared by that?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"You should be," Mario answered. "There's nothing you can do to us now."

"I say different!" Sistef shouted, spontaneously leaving Hattie's body, levitating to about five feet off the floor, and raising her hands to create a rainbow ball above her.

"What, another one of your lame energy attacks?" Jazz asked tiredly. Sistef answered by sending parts of the ball flying in all directions. The zoomed through the air and sliced through Mairo and all of his partners in turn before coming back together and exploding in a fantastic and destructive display of fire and colors.

Mario stood back up with effort. He looked around to see if his partners were okay, but discovered some healing was in order. As he was running around giving his friends health items, he saw Snow out of the corner of his eye, rushing towards Sistef.

"Feiss!" she sobbed.

"_What?_" Sistef shouted, turning to face her.

"You have to be in there somewhere!" Snow cried. "Where are you, Feiss? Why are you doing this?"

Sistef stared at her for a moment, her face flickering and contorting into disturbing positions. "Snow-I…" she mumbled, color slowly returning to her face as she calmed down slightly. She smiled, and Mario was shocked; it was a genuine, carefree smile. "How are you, Snow? I haven't seen you in-"

Her face switched again, as though drawn there, to a hate-filled, uncaring expression. "What did you do to me?" she shrieked. "Stop being stupid!"

Snow looked adamant. "I know you're there, Feiss, so please come out!"

"Snow, stop it!" Goomessa yelled, dashing towards the two.

"She'll kill you!" Jazz agreed, running just behind the Goombette. Mario's other partners soon followed.

"Stay!" Snow shouted, turning to face them. They slowed to a stop and stared fearfully at the two Toadettes.

"What are you trying to do to me?" Sistef cried, random sections of her body continuing to distort themselves and being replaced with more natural-looking parts. "Why are you doing this?"

"Now get her," Snow whispered to the others who, after some mutual confused looks, were only too willing to oblige. "Free Feiss, guys!"

"This isn't what you want!" Sistef screamed as she was attacked but found herself unable to retaliate with energy. Mario was confused about what exactly was happening but decided it was at least easy to get through with the assault.

"This is what _you_ want," Snow told her, not breaking eye contact. "You've always been a glutton for punishment, Feiss."

"Stop it!" Sistef pleaded, trying to use physical force but not harming the party very much. "This isn't fair!"

"Says you," Hattie chuckled, punching her in the throat.

"Come on, guys," Sistef requested, falling to the floor. "Don't you understand who I really am?" Mario was confused as her voice suddenly sounded much smoother and leathery.

"What are you talking about?" Wishes asked warily.

"I'm just a friend…" the Toadette said sweetly, standing up and clasping her hands together. "Don't you get what I really want? I just want to have friends too."

Mario gulped. Whatever she was doing, it was working. He felt tired and unmotivated. He looked around at his partners and saw that the same was happening to them. Even Snow looked weary and calm.

"Don't you see what I'm trying to say? Do you want to be my friends?" Sistef asked, making an open welcome gesture. "It's just what I want. So what do you-"

"Oh no you don't," Mario heard someone call. He snapped out of his trance to see many of the guests rushing up the stairs. He shook his head to clear the haze and saw Sistef gaping at the residents coming to help the party.

"No, no that's not fair!" the Toadette cried, her eyes stained with fear.

"I'm sorry Feiss, but this is your last case," Duss snapped.

"But you still have the right to remain silent," Marrifi chimed in.

While the guests didn't actually continue physically, they cheered and gave helpful remarks as the party came back to and went back after Sistef. The Toadette did not fare well at this point, getting in only the occasional hit and unable to use any kind of magic to her advantage. Eventually she simply cried out in exhaustion and collapsed to the broken floor. Mario approached her cautiously. The marble pin tumbled out of her hair and ceased to shine.

The Toadette blinked a few times and looked up at Mario. "Hello, sir," she murmured. "I'm sorry, but do you know where-ow, my head!"

Mario's eyes grew wide. "What are you talking about, Sistef?"

"Who's Sistef?" she asked weakly. "My name is Feiss."

Comprehension dawned on the plumber, followed by a massive block of guilt. "Snow, she's-"

"I know," Snow replied with a similarly confused expression. "But Feiss, how did this happen?"

"You tell me," the Toadette answered, coughing. "I don't remember coming here. I haven't been to Tess's house in years."

"I'm so sorry, Feiss-" Mario began.

"There's nothing you can do," Marrifi explained, trudging towards the Toadette. Duss followed close behind. Feiss smiled at them.

"Hi, guys," she greeted them. "I haven't seen you in ages."

"The Cloud Fragment!" Goomessa guessed. "It made Feiss evil!"

"What're you talking about?" Feiss coughed, her voice shaking. "What the heck is a Cloud Fragment?"

"I think she's right, though," Koopetto said. "It had to be that pin on the floor that turned Feiss into…well."

"Why are they saying evil, Snow?" Feiss asked, her eyes struggling to stay open.

Snow swallowed. "Feiss, I don't-" She cut herself off, not able to find an answer. "Feiss, I'm sorry…"

Feiss blinked a few times and tried to lift her head but failed. "Snow…" she whispered before her eyes closed and she didn't move again.

Snow turned away and looked at Mario with an accusing expression. "Mario, why did we have to do this?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

"Snow, none of us knew that she wasn't really Sistef," Mario protested. "None of us knew she had the Cloud Fragment."

"It's just horrible to think that Feiss could do so much damage to people," Goomessa said dolefully.

"But it wasn't Feiss," Mario argued, staring at the floor. "It was Sistef. Feiss must have been a wonderful person."

"Yeah, she _was,_" Snow replied miserably.

As she finished her remark, the room transformed. Mario, who had been anticipating the change, now wished it didn't have to happen. It was only another reminder of what the party had done.

The familiar silver cage appeared at the top of the stairs. Wishes fetched the marble pin and gave it to Mario. The plumber sighed and placed it in the circular hole in the middle of the cage face. As the cage began to disappear, Mario saw a red Bob-bomb with a Southern pink hat on. She turned to face Mario. "It's you!" she cried.

"You're Sandy?" Mario asked. "Sandy Lerre?"

"That's me," the Bob-bomb confirmed. "It's so great to finally see you! In person, I mean. This is amazing! Does this mean you have the Cloud Fragment now?"

"It sure does," Mario answered softly. "We had to-"

"I know," Sandy interrupted him, waddling towards Snow. "Snow, please don't be angry. Feiss wouldn't have wanted to go on the way she did. The Cloud Fragment had her for quite a while, and she wouldn't remember anything from the time Troy took over. It's for the best, Snow."

The Toadette nodded slightly. "I guess you're right."

"But the way the Cloud Fragment could make Feiss act…" Hattie broke in. "It makes me wonder if we're assembling something truly terrible here."

"That's impossible, Hattie," Goomessa disagreed. "The Cloud Fragments are a source of wonder and good will…right, Sandy?"

"That's up to the person who wields them," Sandy replied. "But since you have them all, I'm not worried."

After several good-lucks and good-byes from the guests and officers, Sandy huddled the party together to perform the famous teleporting flash. Mario marveled suddenly at the fact that the party really finally had all seven Cloud Fragments. The adventure was drawing to a close, but they sure weren't finished quite yet.

**:::::**

**There we go. Boss battle finished! I hope you enjoyed! I've decided that I'll stick the Bowser interlude on the end of the post-chapter. It will consequently be titled the chapter seven interlude. I hope that's okay with you guys.**

**Anyway, I made a reference last part and a reference this chapter. I don't own either of the things referenced, but I am disappointed that nobody noted the last one, because it was a little obvious. If anybody can guess this one, I'll be less disappointed. So…think.**

**Just kidding, I love the fact that you guys are still reading, so if anyone finds the reference it'll just be icing on the cake.**

**See ya!**


	78. Thanks Again, Sherlock: Part XI

**Hello, people! How are YOU doing? …Anyway, it's Frederic. But you knew that. Or at least I'd hope you would, considering you're reading the last part of **_**chapter seven.**_** That's right, we're about to start the last arc of the story! Get pumped!**

**But enough chitchat, time for the post-chapter/interlude!**

:::::

Yellow and gray hues faded in from the white flash induced by Sandy's transportation. Eventually, the sky and nearby forest filled in and the entirety of Gillisville was visible. The group landed in the town with a slight thud.

"Here we are," Mario announced excitedly.

"It's horrible what Troy did to this place," Sandy murmured. "I just can't believe what's happened." Looking back at Mario, she added, "But I know everything will be okay once Troy is gone."

Ignoring the sense of force behind the statement, Mario led everybody to Gillis's house. After knocking on the door, the plumber stepped back and waited. After several moments, Gillis opened the door with a smile on his face. "You're here!" he chuckled. "It's about time, too. Hate to say it, but you took long enough."

"Yeah, well _you_ don't even have to do anything," Mario snorted. "Anyway, we have the last Cloud Fragment with us, so you don't need to complain."

"You do?" Gillis cried. "Well-well this is amazing! Let me look at it!"

Mario took from his pocket the small fragile pin. Gillis looked it over carefully. "The shamrock is interesting," he noted, running his fingers over the studded design. "It's beautiful."

"It can perform the special move Titan Chop," Sandy explained. "It's the most powerful of all the special moves. It slices through your enemies."

"That's wonderful," Gillis exclaimed. "And you are, miss?"

"Sandy," the Bob-bomb answered. Gillis grinned wide. "Now I guess all we have to do is set up the Cloud of Dreams to form the road to Plathora, correct? And then Mario and his friends can go after Troy, right?"

"That's right," Sandy agreed. "But the road to Plathora is a bit hard to get across. It's probably got tons of enemies and traps and who-knows-what-else. The builders of the road didn't make it easy to get to Plathora from here."

"Of course," Mario sighed. "I should have expected as much. Sandy, how exactly do we create the road?"

"Well, first we'll need to go to Paratonis," Sandy answered. "And besides that, we need all seven of the spirit guardians to set up the Cloud of Dreams. Once the Cloud of Dreams has been put back together, the road to Plathora will appear. Or so we know, anyway. I'm sure you'll understand when I say this is the first time the Cloud of Dreams has ever been broken."

"And how do we call on the other spirit guardians?" Mario asked.

"I can get 'em down here," Sandy answered. "Then we all go to Paratonis and make some magic! We should get there as soon as possible, and not waste any time. See, I learned once that each day is two billionths of a second longer than the last. You may as well use them wisely. Anyway, let's go."

"Wonderful!" Gillis cheered, clapping his hands. "I say we get right on this! I mean…I can come along, right?"

"Sure thing," Sandy confirmed. "I don't know that the Cloud of Dreams reforming will be that flashy, but you can tag along."

"Hooray!"

**:::::**

After everyone popped out of the pipe one by one, Mario urged them to hurry. The gang rushed towards the center of town. Mario began to remove the Cloud Fragments from his pocket, and as soon as the team arrived at the middle of the city, the plumber noticed that a large group of people had gathered to watch the spectacle of the reforming of the Cloud of Dreams.

"Sandy, why are these people here?" Mario asked. Sandy shrugged.

"Mario, you're here!" called a semi-familiar voice from the very middle of the crowd.

Mario and his partners waded through the crowd and were greeted by a very welcoming sight. The other six spirit guardians were already gathered in a line. "How did you get here?" Mario exclaimed, deciding it had been Roberto who had spoken.

"You think we'd wait for _Sandy_ to call us down?" Amber drawled. "Yeah right."

"We made our way down here and invited a few people to see this happen," Ramone explained.

"More than a few," Napoleon admitted, staring at him.

"There are people we know here!" Mario pointed out. The crowd included some residents of Gillisville, Levi T., Geoffrey, Freewire, Hane, Trudy, Dolas, Robin, and even some of the guests of Martin Mansion were in the crowd. They were cheering and calling support ad encouragement.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Callie asked excitedly to nobody in particular. "Let's get this show on the road! Mario, the Cloud Fragments?"

"Of course," Mario agreed, walking towards the guardians, who Sandy had by now joined. He set down all of the fragments. "Now how exactly does this thing get put together?"

Some of the guardians looked between each other. "I…don't quite know for sure," Phineas answered. "We've never had this situation happen before now."

"We'll guess and check," Amber decided, looking over the fragments. "We know what the Cloud of Dreams looks like, so how hard could it be?"

The party set to work attempting to piece together the Cloud of Dreams while the guardians dictated which fragments went where. "Okay, these rings go around the neck of the pot, right?" Callie asked.

"I think so," Ramone replied uncertainly. Mario and Koopetto tried to fit the collection of tawny rings over the thin neck of the coral-colored vase. "The opening of the pot's too wide," the Koopa observed.

"Just squeeze 'em over," Sandy ordered. "They ain't gonna break, you know."

Mario nodded. Though he knew the Cloud Fragments were special and worldly, he was worried they would be fragile. But under the reassurance that they were sturdy, he and Koopetto continued to push the two fragments together, while Snow and Jazz, with orders from Napoleon and Roberto, stabbed the amaranthine marble pin with the amber clover through Caslio's lime-shaded hat. Jovi and Goomessa worked on setting the miniature cherry gown upside-down into the crystalline periwinkle tureen.

Once these tasks were accomplished, the party worked together to set the pot-ring combination on top of the viridian chapeau. They then placed the bowl and dress over the opening of the pot. Finally, Wishes put the sapphire raindrop inside the bowl.

As the rebuilding was being finished, the Cloud of Dreams began to glow with a blinding white shine. Though the ground stayed stable, the sounds of an enormous earthquake filled the air. Several people screamed, Mario could tell, but it was difficult to hear anything. As the shine cleared away, Mario realized that a titanic pale yellow tower was rising from the ground and endlessly into the sky (and somehow managed not to be directly under anybody). The earthquake sounds, he discovered, were actually those of gargantuan ripping paper spiraling upwards, revealing aforementioned tower. The column had a small blue door on the front.

"That's incredible!" Fluzz cried. "How did the Cloud of Dreams do _that?_"

"It is one of the most powerful entities we have," Phineas agreed.

"It would be the most powerful period," Ramone continued, "but unfortunately, the last special move, Torpedo Cloud, can only be used if you have the final fragment."

"That Power Star," Mario guessed.

"Exactly," Roberto confirmed. "If you can retrieve that final Cloud Fragment from Troy, then every trace of the darkness should disappear. We…think."

Deciding not to start an argument over his lack of sureness, Mario nodded and replied, "That's great. So do we just enter that tower and the road to Plathora is there?"

"Correct," Callie answered. "But like I hope Sandy told you, it won't be quite so easy. There'll be lots of bad things out there, so you'd better be careful."

"Don't worry, Callie," Goomessa assured her. "We'll be fine-"

Which was a pretty hefty assumption for not even having departed, but things got a good deal worse with the apparent sudden explosion of the sky. The entire city darkened so that it was very hard to see anything. Dark clouds flew down to the ground and whipped passed people at blinding speeds. Small black droplets of darkness rained from the sky, burning anything they touched. Wishes gathered a crowd together and created a force field to keep out the rain.

"I thought a little stormy weather _didn't_ hurt anybody!" cried Snow.

Mario figured he knew what was happening, and it could only be confirmed when a dark figure dropped from the sky and hit the ground with shattering force. At this point the spirit guardians crowded behind Mario in fear.

"Troy," Mario greeted him angrily.

"You tricky, blind-siding, irrevocably persistent pest!" he countered.

"Fair enough," Mario replied.

"First you start ridding me of my empty jewelry store. Then when I finally accept your stealing what's rightfully mine, you dash right through the checkered tape at the end of my benevolence. Then you somehow manage to lose your faith in obscurity and fleetness," Troy explained. "And now here we are exchanging mindless words like we have nothing else to do with our time…"

"Pardon…?" Mario asked confusedly.

"You ruined everything and I'm angry about it, okay?" Troy whined, crossing his arms. "And well, here I am. Here to _stop_ you from ruining everything no matter what it takes."

"Yeah, that'll happen," Goomessa snorted.

"She's right," Wishes joined in.

"We know how to fight," Jazz agreed.

"Unlike some people we know who'd rather just sit and let things happen around them," Hattie finished with a mock curtsy.

"You don't scare me, guys!" Troy laughed. "I don't know if you've heard, but I am _perfectly capable_ of using the darkness on you at any moment I feel! Maybe you don't understand, but I have infinitely more power than you will ever have. You'll never surpass my virtue, you'll never have my ability, and you will _never be better._"

"Maybe you're right, Troy," Mario decided. "But the only problem with that theory is that we actually have something to live for. We actually care about something, although I'm not sure I can say the same for you."

Troy chuckled as he glared at the ground. "So what," he demanded. "So what if there's nothing I care about. That's just who I've trained myself to be, it's what I become. Or…what becomes me, whichever way you want to look at things. I'm the one who sees the glass as half-empty even when it's overflowing, and I wouldn't change that just because things didn't go my way. I'd have a big tempter tantrum and _destroy_ a few things because they didn't go my way."

"So maybe we don't understand exactly what goes on in your head, but who does?" Mario cried.

"Well, to be perfectly frank and to answer an automatically rhetorical question, I do!" Troy answered with a fake smile. "Now, if you would, I'd like to focus on ridding the world of you pathetic idiots."

"Don't be so sure," Mario replied as the party rushed towards him. He opened with a sharp blow to Troy's legs with his hammer. Troy stepped back a few paces but shook his head, pointing his scepter directly at the plumber. Mario gulped, realizing he hadn't thought through what to do in the event that Troy actually retaliated.

Koopetto saved him by slamming directly into Troy's stomach. Mario smiled at him and returned to attacking. Wishes rushed at the self-proclaimed king with his all-powerful field. Jovi resigned to exploding time after time.

Meanwhile, Troy exhibited quite the artillery of attacks, all of them involving the Darkness. Mario noted that he never used any physical force whatsoever, but instead turned to the Darkness for all offense. Before long this became quite obnoxious as the party had to literally bend over backwards-among rolling, skipping, and what quite resembled jumping rope-to avoid being blasted.

Soon Mario and his party members looked pretty beat. "Mario, this isn't going as well as I thought," Goomessa sighed. "We gotta do something."  
Mario nodded. Reaching into his pocket, he prepared to take out the hat, but then remembered with boulder-in-the-face-like reality that all of the Cloud Fragments were still in the middle of town. Mario gazed around for the Cloud of Dreams and found it still glowing. Telling his partners to follow, he rushed towards the center of Paratonis.

Troy stared after them for a moment before storming towards the party with surprising speed. As the gang neared the Cloud of Dreams, Troy shot a beam of darkness at the beautiful structure, causing the entire thing to grow a sickly gray color. Mario skidded to a stop, staring at it and then at Troy. "You just won't quit, will you Mario?" Troy demanded, stepping closer to the group.

Finally Mario decided to try something he'd been inwardly debating for a few minutes. He rushed towards Troy, who was too busy laughing to notice. With astounding force, he brought his mallet to Troy's scepter, instantly knocking the stick out of Troy's hand. The visionary gaped at his staff and scrambled after it, but Snow chucked an ice ball at him, followed by an impressive kick from Hattie. Troy was breathing heavily by now.

"How can this possibly happen?" he cried. "All I want is for you to quit going after me! You could just be smart and not try to kill yourself!"

"Troy," Mario replied. "Why did your scepter direct you here when you asked where the hate in the world was strongest?"

"I dunno," Troy answered, inching towards his scepter. "Probably 'cause things like _this_ happen to you people all the time and you've simply grown a sort of resentment towards the outside. I don't have to explain, I just act."

"Like an idiot," Goomessa finished for him, realizing what he was doing and giving him a hard Headbonk while Mario dashed towards the scepter. Troy fell to the ground.

"Fine!" he sobbed. "You win this round! I'll leave and you can come after me and get yourself dead! Happy?"

"Quite," Fluzz answered.

Troy let out a growl of frustration and knocked Mario to the cement, yanking the mace back out of his hands. "I'll see you in dark, dark apocalypse!" he shrieked, flying upwards into the black sky.

"Whoa," Goomessa murmured. "He's really lost it, hasn't it?"

"I think that's a fair deduction," Mario agreed.

"Nothing to do but follow him though, right?" Koopetto asked.

"Nothing but," Mario confirmed. "But think of it this way, guys. This is the last part of our adventure. We're finally taking down Troy."

"_I'm _excited," Wishes decided.

"Me too," Snow added.

"And I _could_ add my own opinion, but you guys really don't want to hear it and we'd be better off getting the heck up there," Hattie muttered.

"She's right, let's go," Mario ordered. The party walked slowly towards the door to the tower, next to which the Cloud of Dreams rested, now back to its true colors. Mario put his gloved hand on the shiny gold doorknob.

"Good luck, Mario!" Callie called.

"Make us proud!" Ramone ordered.

"And try to not to get completely destroyed out there," Amber chuckled.

"And bring us back some coffee!" Roberto laughed.

Mario smiled at everybody, well aware that the party was doing a wonderful thing. Everyone was here, wishing him luck, wanting him to succeed. With a determined air, he faced the door. He turned the knob to the right and heard it click.

**:::::**

"Kammy, I think it's official," Bowser mumbled, gawking at the gargantuan tower that had somehow risen out of the ground about a half a mile away. "Either I'm really a loser, or I need to stop drinking pickle juice before bed."  
"You're not a loser, Your Self-Consciousness!" Kammy assured him. "You just…didn't get any of the fragments and Mario got all of them!"

"And that makes me not a loser how?" Bowser demanded. "I think I know when I've lost to Mario. Then again…it's never ended any other way…"  
"Don't worry, Lord Bowser!" Kammy tried again. "This means we can get to Plathora and ambush Mario again! We can get ahead of him still and catch him off guard and then take all of his Cloud Fragments!"

Bowser glared at her for several seconds. "So you're telling me…I spent _two weeks_ chasing that dolt plumber, getting sand between my toes, tripping into riverbanks on a deserted island, flying on a plane I hate _twice_, and being stomped by my arch-nemesis in the house of a demented computer for you to tell me _just now_ that we can just relax and catch Mario off guard?"

"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't think of the plan until just now," Kammy said meekly.

"If I weren't so tired, I could really kill you right now," Bowser sighed. "Let's just get to that tower and see how well your newest plan works. 'Cause we know they always turn out _great._"

"Now Lord Bowser, that was uncalled for," Kammy protested.

"Nothing is uncalled for," Bowser retorted. "I'm the Koopa King. Whee…"

**:::::**

**There we go! End of chapter seven! Chapter eight coming up next! Tell me what you thought and I'll be back soon!**

**See ya!**


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